Hamby Adventures in Japan
Nagasaki Lantern Festival
Anna, Kiyoko, & I
I am currently writing a report for the Diocese of Chubu about my time in Nagasaki. When I have it finished I will post it here with media to go along with the writing. I was without internet for a week or so in Nagasaki and had to wait to give some updates. I thought this would be something light before the emotions of being in Nagasaki.
The Nagasaki Lantern Festival occured the weekend I arrived in Nagasaki. My guide-translator-friend, Kiyoko, told me I should check out the lanterns in “China City,” while I was in town. I was in Nagasaki a night before the program started and was staying in a hotel for that night only. China City was only a few blocks away so I ventured out in the pouring rain to see these incredible lanterns. The whole area was blocked off from traffic and hundreds of lanterns of various sizes illuminated the whole area. After I traversed through the lanterns I was treated to a free concert. I put a short video, after all the pictures, of a woman who played a traditional Chinese instrument but an American tune.
Bishop Shibusawa’s Ordination & Boom Boom Pow
February 11th the Diocese of Chubu held the ordination and reception for the new bishop. As you can see above the place was packed. Everyone from around the diocese was able to attend because of a national holiday on the 11th. If you look towards the back you can see my goofy red head sticking above everyone else.
The ordination itself was nice and hearing some much Japanese at services like these is always a big change. Luckily there was an English translation of the whole service. I helped the translating process with the sermon. Basically taking broken English and making it into readable coherent English.
Every Bishop from Japan was in attendance and even Bishop Pachau from the Phillipines. Below is the Primate and the new Bishop of Chubu. Its amazing to think every bishop and a large population of the diocese could attend. This shows how small the Anglican Church in Japan really is but how much work they are able to accomplish in helping others such as the Phillipines or recently Haiti.
The reception was a site to behold. Lots of amazing sushi, noodles, Odon, kobe beef, and drinks. Lots of people to talk with, I can only understand simple phrases or words, and meeting lots of new people. The kids I teach on Friday’s did a few dances. Bishop Shibusawa dances, others in the crowd put their dance moves on display, and everything goes Boom Boom Pow. The video is over six minutes but if you want to watch for some good laughs, lulz, or to put a smile on your face you need to watch the whole thing.
[Sorry for the shaky camera work]
This week I will be traveling to Nagasaki for a conference and will have some actual good updates on things I see and experience in the historic city.
Beans+Marching Band+Monster= Setsubun
February 3rd I attended the Setsubun Spring Festival as Osu Kannon Temple in Nagoya. The locals explained the festival as the first traditional day of spring. A monster would present himself and the people will throw beans at the monster to get rid of their bad fortune and receive good luck. Quite a site to see so many people out on a cold Tuesday afternoon but enjoyable. Lots of costumes and enough beans to feed an army. The week before I was helping with a class of three year olds and they celebrated in their own fashion by making their own masks and throwing peanuts at the monster. No wonder Japan produces so many good baseball pitchers since they get them to throw beans as toddlers.
Below is a video of the whole scene with people receiving their beans, a marching band, and the monster.
Downtown & Batsu Game
I was introduced to this show and comedy duo when I was in Osaka for New Years. The idea is they are put into situations which are meant to make them laugh. If the participants laugh they are spanked. This is Japanese comedy at its finest. I have been told by everyone this is very popular and I can see why.
This is from the comedy duo “Downtown.” They are from the Osaka region and as they say, “Osaka is not part of Japan and is full of comedians.” One of my favorites, TV Guide and shaming the McDonald’s Manager
I eat curry most nights of the week for dinner since I can make a bunch with a ton of vegetables and eat it all week long. I totally understand what he is getting at in this video with curry.
This is a sketch where a man is stuck in a wall.
Flying lessons.
Star Wars Batsu
We Should Have Leveled Up.
Today I was at the traditional Japanese spring celebration, explain more with video tomorrow, and saw this giant ship at the end of the parade being pulled by twenty or so people. The ship reminded me of my senior year at Transylvania University when all the seniors of each fraternity would run out for bid day. Thinking about our version of the ship and seeing the one they had for the celebration indicated to me we should have leveled up 8,999 more levels.
The ship from the celebration in Nagoya, Japan.
The “ship” from bid day.
Anyone ever see this type of advertisement on the web pop up outside the states?
Tomorrow I should have some photos and video of the spring celebration