2010.07.10

Ghibli studio and museum. Today we went to the Ghibli Museum. If there was a studio there, I must have missed it, though I did look through a room that showed some of the technology. The movie was interesting for my classes in that it would be a brief video (15 minutes) that shows both hiragana and katakana at the bottom (probably for hearing impaired or deaf people) for the dialogue and I found especially interesting the various sounds of the different animals (dogs large and small, cats, a bullfrog, a sparrow, crow) and I am certain my students would find it interesting as well. Alas, they don't yet sell the video, but hopefully it will show up in the US at some point. I looked for other videos that might be appropriate for my the students, but they didn't seem to have the videos for sale, though it looked liked there were some by one of the directors/illustrators (who maybe helped create "Tottoro," "Kiki's Delivery Service," some big robot movie, and a few others as well), and other selections along those technical lines. I think that man may have died, for they have a room with lots of used pencils and illustrations on the wall and all sorts of things like that. Though, that may have been what once was part of a studio and many people worked there. Darned if I know. It was an interesting diversion, especially the process of getting there and the many changes of transportation one needs to use to go from one place to another. That aspect alone might take me years to become accustomed, for I am more of a hermit in that manner and tend to stay close to home. Perhaps living in a big city for a long time changes one's perspective. Going on with the changing of transportation mode, I went with two other teachers to locate the Bonjinsha store in Chiyoda-ku. I think this might be a section of Tokyo, but we sure were no where near Tokyo Station. I am guessing that Tokyo is big, but what exactly makes up Tokyo is a mystery that I might have to turn into a thematic unit someday. I guess it is like L.A. in that maybe a hundred towns make up the city? All I really know is that Ithaca, NY and Kihei, HI are individual cities with other cities near by. Moving on, we found the store, bought some things, and then at the suggestion of the other teachers we headed to a place known as Kaminarimon (maybe), in a place known as Asakusa (accent seems to be on the 'ku'). It is the site of a temple that has perhaps been there a long time. There are some renovation efforts going on, so that was interesting to note. I am certain the donations are well appreciated for what looks to be some vital work in restoring it. Picture taking was allowed (as opposed to a shrine devoted to the Meiji Emperor, or the Matsumoto Temple that we visited), so I was able to take many shots of it, video etc. There was a festival also going on that focused on the Hoojiki flower (can't find in my dictionary, maybe it is connected to Hojikinbyou, which is Hodgkin's disease also called leprosy, and so the flower has certain curative abilities? So many mysteries!) Anyway, it is only of interest during this festival time, and many people will buy them. It may be like Palm Sunday in the Christian Belief system when you get a cross made out of a palm leaflet on a certain Sunday of the year. It was hugely crowded with many food booths, souvenirs, and things that I wish I had time to go through carefully, but we kept moving and then some. As the next day is election day, there was last minute campaigning with the people running for office on top of a big white van, lights flashing, and speakers blasting (with informative material, the sort that all politicians use. Perhaps it was good I didn't understand all that was being said for all I caught were a few references to foreign countries, and then something about from Okinawa to Hokkaido, and it is possible the speaker was not being polite for he did seem somewhat intense about the topic. How would I really know? Ah well, as in all elections, anything to get a vote.). There was also a lot of security police, and I think I saw my first Japanese Secret Service person! He seemed quite intense, and had a little earplug and cord hanging from his right ear. He was a little like people in the movie "Men In Black." I considered interviewing him for another thematic unit I might be able to develop, but he definitely looked busy and wanted to stay focused. I got him on video though! It was even more crowded here where they had the van (right outside the Kaminarimon Gate), and though people in Japan mostly will remain polite with one another, this situation tests even they most correct of manners. There was one older woman (an Obaasan) who looked like she was ready to take on a football team as she barreled her way through the crowd, paying no attention to who was in front of her, just pushing through with determination. I can almost guarantee you that she used to work for the train companies as one of the 'pushers' who 'assist' passengers getting onto trains that are already too full, but well, still fit a few more. I have yet to meet or see these 'pushers' in action yet, but in watching this women I did get a feeling for the dedication that is required to fulfill that role well. Unfortunately for her, I was the mountain that could not be moved for I had a strong need not to lose my two guides in the crowd. It reminded me of the game jan-ken-po, or scissors, paper, rock. After that, a badly needed stop for dinner, and I had the best tasting miso shiro I have yet had, and it was the perfect compliment to the meal. And the final finding one's way home, assisted by Yamamoto's sensei's keitai that had a picture of a map of the stations, by which we effortlessly made our way home. There you have it. Oh, yes. In looking through my wikipspaces pages I noticed I neglected to fill in the details of the visit to the elementary school (2010.06.25), and I needed to add comments on the talk about the Yasukuni Shrine (2010.06.26). Please feel free to read those comments as well.