Finding Warmth in the Snowy Mountains of Nagano

It was freezing stepping off of the bullet train. I couldn’t feel my fingers, but I knew they were shaking with nervousness as the wait to meet my host family begun. I was excited for two reasons; one, meeting a family I was going to be living with and knew nothing about, and two getting to see and touch snow for the first time.

As we go drove up to Escal Plaza my nerves had settled and I was eager to walk through those doors and meet my host family. I remember sitting there with the other HPU students in my group, just looking around waiting until our host family came and found us.

As I sat, an elder man who spoke very few English approached us. This was Mr. Shimokawa which we would call Papa. As we loaded his van and drove down the mountain to his lodge the beautiful alps of Nagano filled my eyes with joy.

Although it was dark, the snow was beautiful and white. It was falling so gracefully from the sky as it carpeted the roads ahead of us. As we stepped out of his van and I looked to the sky, fresh snow welcomed us.

Being a local kid, this was my first time seeing real snow (other than the snow you find in the freezer section of the grocery store). It was amazing and cold. Can you believe the first time I saw snow was also the first time I was out of the country and first time I was in Japan? Well, I still can't.

As we entered the giant lodge Mrs. Shimokawa; Mama, came to greet us. A small, kind women welcomed us with her warm smile. 

There was so much that happened in just the two nights I spent with the Shimokawa family. We had ate traditional home cooked meals, helped with the dishes, took a bath in a shared bathtub, made sushi and soba from scratch, tried on a kimono that was created by Mama and her mother back when she was 20, we had went sledding with Papa and pelted each other with snowballs, had built snow mans that we later destroyed while sledding, and so much more. 

 Bullet train that took us to Nagano. 

 The bath.

 Home cooked meals from Mama.

 Mama and me.

 First snow man... Baymax?

 Making soba with Papa.

 Pau Hana.

 Sledding with Escal Plaza in the back.

 Sushi... well it would be once put it all together.

 Me in the kimono... I'm so fly.

Group picture with the Shimokawa Family.

My experience cannot be shared in just words. I am grateful to have met the Shimokawa family and I will continue to reach out to them and keep contact with them. Although it was freezing and cold in Nagano, the Shimokawas were warm and welcoming. When I get another opportunity to go to Japan, returning to Nagano is definitely on my list. 

East Capital Adventure

Stepping off the plane after seven long and dehydrated hours was the best feeling in my life. As I breathed in the smells of Japan it was as I had stepped into a dream that was now my reality.

Was I really here? I couldn’t believe it and I would have asked for someone to pinch me but the cold weather was enough to shake me into realizing that I was actually in Japan. All my years of hoping to visit Japan have come true and I was no longer in Honolulu.

As our bus drove through the small and complex roads of Japan, I glanced out the window. Although I was staring at a whole new world, it reminded me of home. It was welcoming.

After checking into the Dai-Itchi Hotel and eating dinner, we were given the chance to explore with no restrictions (besides an 11 pm curfew).

Fortunately I was able to spend this experience with my older sister so in a way it was comforting to have her there and it gave me a strong sense of safety.

As we walked the streets of Tokyo I was able to see that although Tokyo and Hawaii may have similarities, they also had their differences. The roads were clean and smelled decent (most of the time) even though there weren’t any public trash cans insight. The roads were small and the cars were smaller. The time itself was around 8 at night, yet the night sky was lit by the streetlights that guided students, businessmen, and housewives to their destination.

As I walked into stores I realized that even though this was Tokyo, a city compared to America’s New York City, the part I was seeing wasn’t as crazy as I expected.

Around almost every corner a convenience store could be found; a Lawsons or a 7i and holdings (which was a 711). To most in Japan a convenience store isn’t so thrilling, but to me it was amazing. The variety of boxed coffees and juices, there were all sorts of teas even a convenient pre-made boba drink. There ice cream was fancy, topped with fruit and chocolate, compared to drumsticks and ice cream sandwiches back at home. The bentos looked like home cooked meals packaged and placed on the shelf. It was a wonderful sight to see.

As I walked through stores I saw that the people there were friendly and kind and understanding to the fact that I had no idea what they were saying. Even though I know some Japanese, it was a whole different story seeing it in action at its homeland.

 View from our drive to Dai-Itchi Hotel.

 First meal in Tokyo.

 Food!

Boba Tea at 7i and Holdings.

My first impressions I will never forget. My misconceptions have been fixed and I can wholeheartedly say that Japan is a wonderful place and that Tokyo is something worth traveling for.

My Homestay Experience

         I was fortunate enough to have had Miyazaki family to be my homestay host. They welcomed 5 girls who they never met into their home with so much warmth. Spending 2 nights with them, made me feel like I was part of their family. They brought us to many places such as picking apples, eating oyaki, taking us to the ski lift, and eating gelato. Not to mention, all of these was a first time for me.

         The first thing on the agenda was to harvest apples. I was very excited because I have never seen nor picked out an apple from its roots. Okaasan drove us all to their own apply tree. The tree was covered with beautiful apples surrounded by snow. I somehow felt like Snow White. Okaasan first showed us how to correctly harvest the apples. After, we started harvesting. Once the basket was full, Okaasan told us to pick a small apples and eat them. By far, these were the freshest and sweetest apple I have ever taste, right out of the tree.

            Next, we head out to eat some traditional oyaki. The restaurant was located right on the edge of the hill and it looked very traditional. We walked into a room and sat around the fire where they cooked the oyaki. In front of us, there was an old lady who was making the oyaki and next to her was an old man cooking it. They served us 2 types of oyaki with miso soup, tea, and pickled   vegetables. The oyaki was so delicious, we asked for more. 

            Third, we headed to the ski lift. On the ride to the top of the mountain, we saw the beauty of Hakuba, Nagano. On top of the mountain, it was snowing. Everything was covered in snow. I jumped with joy because this is the very first time that I have experienced snow. I felt like I was a kid again. I laid on the snow and made snow angles. My homestay sisters and I even started a snowball fight. I had so much fun I wanted to stay longer.

            We then headed out to Okasaan's friend, Kikisan, house to eat some gelato. Not knowing, Kikisan’s house was right next to the gelato place. We were laughing because we had no idea how close it was. They served many varieties of gelato. After we getting our gelato’s we walked to Kikisan’s house. Her house was very cozy. It had a mixed vibe of modern and vintage. We stayed there for an hour or so and made ourselves feel at home.

         Homestay was definetly my favorite part of the Japan Study Tour because I got to experience what it is like to live with a Japanese family. Also, I got to experience many new things like the ones I mentioned above. I will never forget Okaasan, Noesan, and Kikisan for treating as like real family. I never thought that within the short period of time, I would grow an attachment to them. Thank you for welcoming us to your home and family! Until we meet again!

"Millions of spirits come here to purge themselves of toil and care..."

a clip from the movie Spirited Away

Many of the students that came on this trip, including myself have a fascination with Japan because of the things we watch, eat, and etc. One of things a lot of us share in common is the love of Miyazaki Films. Spirited Away is one of the reasons I became more interested in the country and their culture. Ever since I watched the film back in 2001 it has been my favorite movie of all time! The only reason why I bring this up is because we all finally know how it feels to be those spirits in that bathhouse.

If you've never seen Spirited Away before here is a short synopsis: (taken from Amazon's product description)

From one of the most celebrated filmmakers in the history of animated cinema comes the most acclaimed film of 2002. Hayao Miyazaki's latest triumph, filled with astonishing animation and epic adventure, is a dazzling masterpiece for the ages. It's a "wonderfully welcoming work of art that's as funny and entertaining as it is brilliant, beautiful, and deep" (Joe Morgenstern, Wall Street Journal). SPIRITED AWAY is a wondrous fantasy about a young girl, Chihiro, trapped in a strange new world of spirits. When her parents undergo a mysterious transformation, she must call upon the courage she never knew she had to free herself and return her family to the outside world. An unforgettable story brimming with creativity, SPIRITED AWAY will take you on a journey beyond your imagination. "To enter the world of Hayao Miyazaki is to experience a kind of lighthearted enchantment that is unique to the world of animation" (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times). It's a fantastic tale the whole family will want to experience over and over again.~~(c) 2001 Nibariki -- GNDDTM

So basically, Chihiro needs a job and she was asking the head master, Yubaba, for one. The spirit world isn't very kind to humans and Yubaba explained, "Why would I need a weakling like you? Besides, this is no place for humans. Millions of spirits come here to purge themselves of toil and care."

This concept of a bathhouse always befuddled me and I never understood the concept. I actually thought this concept was only in the film and was a "spiritual" concept. However, I've experienced my own bathhouse scene which made me feel like some of those spirits.

During my absolutely lovely time at my homestay, our homestay okaasan (mother) took us to a public onsen which was a 5 minute drive from the house. It was separated according to gender, which was a relief to me. But the idea of being nude in front of people in general is slightly uncomfortable. The most awkward part was the stripping of the clothes. I could remember all of us giggling and telling each other just look up and get into the bath part as soon as we can. I remember our okaasan laughing at our shyness. In onsen, you have to shower yourself before you take a dip into the actual onsen or "hot tub." Towels are not allowed in the onsen area, therefore they have to come off before you step into the shower and onsen area.

It was the point where we were all nude, realizing we were all feeling the same way is when we broke the walls of insecurity and uncomfortable-ness. People come to the onsen to purge themselves of toil and care, they don't have the time to look at you and judge you. They don't have the time to talk about you and ridicule you. They don't have the time to praise you and be in awe of you. Onsen time is a time for yourself, for your own relaxation and health. And thanks to Spirited Away I knew that you put the towel on your forehead, so I felt pretty good about knowing that, haha!

This part of their culture may seem minuscule but it is a huge eye opener for me. Their group mentality comes down to being able to take baths together without having to care about all the other things in the world. It's amazing to see the differences of the cultures and I was feeling blessed to be able to walk the bridge to the other side and experience this part of their culture. Honestly, it got easier and easier to take the towel off and rid myself of the toil and cares of the world. I'm typing this now wishing there was an onsen 5 minutes from my apartment because after all these finals, even the spirits know I need one.

Japanese Food

One of my favorite parts of the trip was the food. I love trying new and different food from what I am used to. I know a lot of people before going on this trip were a bit skeptical about the food, but in the end, it seemed most of us really enjoyed it. Japanese food is so well balanced with rice, vegetables, and meat and it all tastes very good. One thing I also noticed is that there food lacks spice and a lot of it is sweet. Spice is something I put in all of my food, I love spicy food and would usually prefer it that way rather than have it sweet. Something about how they make their food to where it is not too sweet that makes it so great. I didn't miss adding black pepper or cayenne pepper to my food at all. I think the people who picked the food for us thought we may get tired of Japanese food after a while because toward the end we were provided American and Italian food. I know for me, and some others, we were not yet tired of the food and were really hoping to have more of it even up until the end.

Expectations vs. Reality

I’d always thought that I had a good understanding about Japan. I had taken various classes in high school, and many of my relatives are either from Japan, speak Japanese, or continue practicing various traditions. Coming on this trip, I expected to be experiencing the high tech life often shown in movies. I thought dining would be facilitated by robots, almost everything being automated, with technology and anime themes everywhere. I didn’t expect to experience the countryside, much less fall in love with the villages in Nagano, where there was no Wi-Fi, freezing temperatures, and slippery roads.

I expected country life to be slow, especially compared to busy Tokyo life. Farming had never peaked my interest, as I had always pictured it as hard, dirty work with large machines, but I didn’t expect it to be fun, or such a large part of the country’s economy. While staying with the Miyazaki family for our homestay, we had the opportunity to go to an apple orchard and pick fruit from the Miyazaki family apple tree. There was nothing like eating apples fresh off the tree, surrounded by the snowcapped Japanese Alps. The apples were the largest, sweetest apples I have ever tasted; you could practically taste the love that went into growing them. We also had the opportunity to see the many farms and produce along the way. It seemed that every house had a garden in their yard for fruits and vegetables or water patties in the back for rice. Entire farms were managed by small families, so there was little use of heavy equipment and much attention to detail. The village of Hakuba, where students experienced their homestay, along with many other villages throughout Nagano, are large contributors to Japan’s overall agriculture, and are considered top contributors in many different vegetables, wasabi, apples, and blueberries. For areas that seem so small and homey, I was amazed to find out that so much production was being done.

Although we were only in Nagano for a couple days, we felt welcomed like family, but it made leaving Nagano bittersweet. I feel so blessed to have had this experience with everyone. From this experience I have come to love Japan’s natural beauty and the hospitality of the Japanese people, and can’t wait to visit our homestay families again soon. Anyone else ready to make the trip back?

OMG Wasabi Ice Cream

One of the most memorable experiences of the Japan Study tour was going to the Daioh Wasabi Farm. I have never been a fan of wasabi, and had avoided eating it at all costs in the past. However, seeing how much care and effort went into growing wasabi, and listening to Wasabi Master Hama made growing wasabi sound like an art form. Considering how specific growing conditions needed to be it’s understandable that people made careers out of it.

            So many of us in the group were so inspired by the work ethic of the wasabi farm that we wanted to try some of their products. We had gotten there late in the afternoon so many of the food stalls were closed, so many resorted to trying the wasabi ice cream. I had told myself that I would not purchase my own, seeing as I greatly disliked wasabi, but I felt compelled to get one like everyone else. Everyone was saying it tasted good, and I wanted to see what all the hype was about. So that left many of us eating wasabi ice cream cones in mid-forty-degree weather.

            The taste wasn’t horrible; on the contrary it actually tasted pleasant. It had all the flavor of wasabi, but without the spicy “bite” one would expect. I could only describe it as weird. I nursed that cone for about half an hour due to the chilly weather, so when it came time to board the bus, I was told that my ice cream was not allowed on. In an effort to prevent further delay, I promptly ate the (large amount) of remaining ice cream as fast as I could, and that’s when the tears started. Eating the wasabi ice cream in small bites tasted fine, but in large mouthfuls the full brunt of the wasabi flavor hit my taste buds with a vengeance. My tongue was burning and tingling and my eyes were involuntarily watering. There was no trash can in sight so the only thing I could do was suffer through. I boarded that bus looking like a hot mess. Definitely an unforgettable experience.

            So lesson learned: it’s always good to try new things, just do so in moderation.

            

Japan First Impressions / Host Family Experience

*Note: Not posted in real time

It is halfway through the 10 day Kakashi Project Japan trip, and I am currently in Nagano, Japan.

A few reflections on Japan so far:

Everything is so clean and orderly. And unlike in the United States, there’s so much color integrated into various designs, which is really aesthetically pleasing. I haven’t seen an “ugly” part of Japan yet. Even the older buildings are very clean and have a tremendous amount of charm to them due to the thoughtfulness of how things are placed and organized.

First morning in Tokyo 

Our very first night in Japan we stayed in a Tokyo hotel, and shortly after arriving we walked around our hotel a bit to get a feel for the area. Even in Tokyo, one of Japan’s biggest cities, I felt extremely safe walking around at night – which is something that I would never do back in Hawaii.

I also didn’t see a single homeless person or piece of trash on the street, which is completely opposite from what I see everyday when attending university in downtown Honolulu. No sign of homeless, trash, or danger. Yet, there’s so much happening on every corner. Japan almost feels like a strange utopian world.

When arriving to Nagano, we were each assigned to a homestay family. I was assigned to the Kakimoto family, where I met “Otosan”, “Okasan”, and their two children Soshi and Kaari.  As soon as we entered their home, the Kakimoto family immediately made us feel like we were at home.

Nagano Winter Alps 

Our time with them was filled with delicious Japanese food (and lots of it), skiing, shopping, baking, onsen, chatting, and laughing. Okasan spoke some English, but there was often a communication gap. Despite this, she was extremely energetic and devoted to communicating with us through hand motions, comparisons, and expressions. While giving us skiing lessons in particular, she made sure to give us step-by-step instructions and even physically catch us to stop us at the bottom of the hill. Otosan didn’t speak any English at all, yet he was able to make us all laugh throughout our stay simply through actions and gestures. Kaari, who spoke English very well, immediately took us under her wing and treated us all as sisters, including us in activities and conversation, and snapping tons of photos together. So far, the home stay portion was my favorite part of this trip. Just being able to interact with people from another country, be a part of their every day lives, and be able to talk and bond with them despite cultural differences, was an amazing and unforgettable experience. While it was difficult to say goodbye to the Kikumoto family, I know that our time with them was well spent, and I am happy to have made memories with them, and look forward to creating more in the future.

Until then, back to Tokyo!  

Nagano Beauty

Everyone was nervous about this trip. Nobody knew what to expect. We were all excited to sight see, venture out on the streets and witness with our own eyes what Japan has to offer. However, I believe that the homestay was the most nerve-wracking experience. But clearly, it was the most memorable part of our visit. Most of us had grown up in the city, or a city-like environment. None of us for the most part was prepared for Nagano's beauty and the experiences the country side has to offer. It was a new sight to see; full of beauty, nature, and powdery snow everywhere. It felt like a dream, so surreal. However, pictures are worth a thousand words. But words aren't enough to describe the exquisite sights that I, along with everyone else, was able to see with our own two eyes, taste with our own taste buds, and definitely the experience that our whole body was able to do and feel.

STOP! You may not reach beyond this point. Onsen time!

Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner was spent together on the dining table with everyone. Already missing Okaasan's home cooked meals.

The sweetest apples anyone can ever taste. Picked it myself from Okaasan's apple tree ;) Oishiikatta!

Have a little view of Nagano's natural beauty

You best believe it! The 1998 Winter Olympics for ski jump was held here, and I am standing right infront of it. 

Traveled all the way up into the mountains for Nagano's famous Oyaki. Saw it made and cooked right infront of our eyes. The view and the taste was phenomenal!

You can never forget about the Northern Alps in Nagano. You cannot miss it!

Nagano had a lot to offer. Too many pictures were taken for keeps sake. You can never truly know the beauty of Nagano unless you see it for yourself. Next time, let's visit Nagano in the Spring and Summer shall we?