Globalization: Santa Claus is Coming to Town. Every Town.

Globalization. Part of me loves it, part of me hates it. I love it because without it I probably wouldn't be across the globe in Japan right now. I hate it because I think it tends to eliminate culture, merging them all together forming an emormous cultural conglomerate. Being in Japan, I can officially say Japan has culture. They have more culture than you can shake a stick at.

Anyway, why am I talking about this? Well, last weekend I had a supplementary job at a nearby school. It was for a Christmas party and I was none other than Santa Claus. Never before have I seen so many kids look at me as if I was the coolest person on the planet. Now that I think about it though, the whole experience seems quarky to me. What am I doing in Japan dressed up as Santa Claus no less? When did Christmas become more about Santa Claus and less about the guy the holiday is actually named after? And why is Japan (basically a non-religious country) celebrating a religious holiday? The answer: it is fun.


Don't get me wrong, in some ways I am glad that the Santa Claus story is dominating. I mean, can you imagine trying to explain the real Christmas story to a bunch of junior high school students? It's hard enough trying to explain sleigh and reindeer. Try explaining Jesus, the Three Wise Men, and the Virgin Mary.


Anyway, I think it is great that Japan celebrates Christmas, even if it is the commercialized version. I think it is worth it as long as love is being spread, the concept of giving is in the cool, crisp air, and kids are having fun. Let's just hope that Christmas doesn't replace sumo, sake, and sushi.

Head Banging

Reason #392 why I hit my head so much.


In a way, you think that evolution would make us shorter because hitting your head so much can't be good for the brain, and thus would impede the procreation of tall people and their tall genes. Good thing being tall is normally seen as attractive. Instead of focusing on finches, why didn't Darwin just study tall people in short countries? Maybe everyone in Japan is short because the tall people die at an early age from chronic head trauma. Or, just like environments mold species into possessing certain characteristics (i.e. different species of finches having different beaks for different diets), the Japanese environment melds it's citizens into being under 5'5". And that brings me to the primary difference between Japan and the US: Japan is small. And Japan being small plays an enormous role in their culture, people, and, well, me hitting my head on something every other day.

Myogi-san: 妙義山

The Japanese people have a fettish with numbers I think. They absolutely love to rank things. Well, I don't know if this is totally true, it just seems like it. For example, whenever you go someplace the little pamphlet says something like "Third best onsen in Japan!" or "5th most popular temple" or "12th best bottle of sake" or "Only village in all of Japan with a sky bridge." Every area, village, town, or city has something ranked. Oftentimes it leaves me thinking "there can't be that many so-and-so's in Japan, can there?" This feeling leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It is like being valedictorian of your one-room country school. How much competition is there? I guess they have to be known for something, and they need it to be ranked.

Anyway, the only reason I bring this up is because I heard from a friend of mine that they listed the top 100 mountians to climb in all of Japan in some book or something. This is all fine and dandy except for the fact that Mount Myogi was NOT one of them. Wikipedia describes Mount Myogi in the following way, "well known for its rocks weathered into fantastic forms, this famous peak is ranked among Japan's three most noted places of rugged beauty." Ha...I know for a fact that it is indeed ruggedly beautiful. I just didn't know that someone ranks rugged beauty--no wonder there is a 0% unemployment rate in Japan.

Anyway, without further adieu, I give you Myogi-san.


This is Myogi-san from the parking lot. As always, pictures don't do it justice (except pictures in art galleries).


I took a picture of the map so in case I got lost I could just look at the 2.5 inch version on my digital camera. Genius, I know. One other thing worth noting is that the trails are ranked (there's that word again) according to difficulty. The yellow is easy, orange is medium, and red is supreme master climber only (sherpa a must). I think red also signifies the amount of blood you would lose if you were to veer off the path.



We had the great idea of climbing this death-defying mountain while it was drizzling and foggy. I felt like I was in Karate Kid looking for that elusive and expensive bonsai tree hanging on for dear life on the side of the mountain. Above, you can see some of the guys in my party who were working there way down. The path was overgrown and small. At some parts, if you took a step off the path on either side you would fall so far and for so long that you would need to scream twice! Ha. I always think that is so strange to think about. AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! (Run out of breath, inhale) AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Tokyo: City of Sisterly Love

Last weekend, my sis and I went to Tokyo. It was kind of a spur-of-the-moment thing. We were planning on going to a huge festival in Chichibu for part of the weekend, however, people were flocking to the small mountain town like it was the gold rush of 1849 and the mass exodus due to the Irish potato famine all rolled up in one. With that said, no hotel...no ryokan (Japanese-style inn)...no nothing. So, we took a look at the famous shrine, et cetera, and then left. Next stop: Tokyo.


Tokyo might be the most versatile, diverse city in the entire world. You can get your fair share of old culture and tradition, check out the ultra-modern side that puts Times Square to shame, and do just about anything else that you could think of. There are so many different parts to the city that just about everything is covered. Greta and I didn't do much. We tried to go to a parasite museum to see a 8.8 meter long tapeworm that came from poor soul. Instead, we found ourselves walking the streets among the worms and filth, not finding what we were looking for.


Anyway, we just ended up going to the most famous temple in all of Japan. Actually, I don't know if it is a temple or a shrine. If you know the difference, please tell me. This temple is in Asakusa and it is the primary bread winner of all shrines/temples.


P.S. This is like "Where's Waldo" only instead Waldo = Greta. Click to enlarge. Hint: she doesn't have black hair.