The Mystery Meat I Couldn’t Eat

December 3, 2011
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The Mystery Meat I Couldn’t Eat

When it comes to food, I try to be as open-minded as I can. I tell myself that I’ll try any food at least once, and if I don’t like it, won’t try it again. I have eaten crickets (which aren’t half bad by the way), baby bees, and fish eyes, just to name a few things, but I think I met my match at a staff dinner a week ago. All of the staff went to a yakitori restaurant. Yakitori is the Japanese name for chicken or other pieces of meat that have been skewered and grilled. Truth be told, the food was INCREDIBLY good, and it just kept coming! I was so...

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Oh Crap! Please Don’t Call Me Bob Sapp

December 2, 2011
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Oh Crap! Please Don’t Call Me Bob Sapp

Lately I’ve been going to the gym a little more often than normal, and I think it’s a great thing. But now I’m starting to get new nicknames from the kids. The latest, fascinating additions have been “Baby Monster” and…wait for it “Bob Sapp.” I was okay with the baby monster one, in a way, it’s kind of cool, but I don’t really want to be compared to Bob “The Beast” Sapp. For those of you who don’t know who he is, I is (was?) a K-1 and occasional mixed martial arts fighter that was wildly popular here in Japan. The reason he’s so popular is because umm…he’s gigantic. He stands 6’5″ inches tall...

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What is the Best Japanese Video Game Franchise Ever?

December 1, 2011
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VideoGameFranchises2Feat

You know what? We should have a little bit of fun today. For some reason I have had video games on the brain lately, so I have an incredibly important question to all you. What is your favorite video game franchise? I know it’s a bit random, but I was thinking about this the other day while watching this video Marvel vs. Capcom 3 rejection spoof: I guess it kind of depends, if we’re talking in terms of dollars and cents, I wonder which franchise would emerge victorious…My guess would have to be the Mario Brothers franchise. I mean, they’ve made so many games, it’s kinda hard to ignore them: Mario Brothers (remember the...

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Japanese Train Stories

November 30, 2011
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Japanese Train Stories

Although it’s a rare occurrence, you sometimes get that one Japanese person that does something rude enough to really get under your skin. I had an interesting little incident the other day while riding home from work: I couldn’t believe it really. In a way, it’s probably better for him, that it was me, and not some other random American. I know so many people with less patience, and he would have been picking up teeth. Sigh, people who are unjustly insulting (not just to me but to anybody) really get under my skin. But, there’s no more I can do about it now. It’s time to pore over those Japanese textbooks just a...

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The Most Important Things I’ve Learned By Living Abroad (Two)

November 29, 2011
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The Most Important Things I’ve Learned By Living Abroad (Two)

This is part two of the blog festival hosted by the Whoa I’m in Japan blog. The question posed was What Have You Learned By Living Abroad? 6. I Am Weaker & Stronger Than I Thought I Was I remember doing so many things by myself during my first year in Japan. Of course I would get together with my coworkers from time to time, but there can be a lonely side to this place. My financial situation was a little different than most, so part of the reason I wasn’t going out was because I was scraping a bit for money. But there was more… I am definitely not one to play the...

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The Most Important Things I’ve Learned by Living Abroad (One)

November 28, 2011
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The Most Important Things I’ve Learned by Living Abroad (One)

Hi everybody! Today’s article is part one of a two-part post for a special blog festival for the Whoa I’m in Japan blog. The question posed was “What Have You Learned By Living Abroad?” The Most Important Things I’ve Learned By Living Abroad Whoa! I can’t believe that in a blink it’ll be 2012. That means January 10th, 2012 is quickly approaching. What’s so special about January 10th? This day will mark my four-year point in Japan. Huh?!? I’ve been in Japan for four years!?! No way!! It’s hard for me to believe it sometimes, but it’s true. I remember so vividly telling my mother and my family that I’d only be gone for...

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The Girl With Legendary Speed

November 27, 2011
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The Girl With Legendary Speed

Two weeks ago the kids at my elementary school had marathon day, where all of the students had to run a marathon. Well, let me back up, it’s not the standard, full, 42-kilometer or 26-mile marathon. The first through fourth graders had to run 1.5 kilometers which is the same as about .93 miles. I didn’t see the fifth and sixth graders, but their race was longer. I went outside to cheer on my kids and I was amazed that every single kid that I saw was able to finish the race. The 1st grade boys were funny to watch. One teacher got them warmed up, and another gave them the “Ready, set, go!”...

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What is Yuba?

November 26, 2011
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What is Yuba?

Have you ever heard of yuba before? Well, if you’re familiar with tofu, you’re not far off. Guess what yuba is made of? Soybeans of course. For some strange reason I think everything in Japan has just a little bit of soybean in it. How can I explain yuba? Well, I’m no expert on the subject or anything, but yuba is kind of like a by-product of the tofu making process. Please check out the post I did on tofu a while back. In that post I put up a video of the tofu-making process that I saw on YouTube. I thought it was really well done and gave me a really clear picture...

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I Want to Go Back To the U.S.

November 25, 2011
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I Want to Go Back To the U.S.

I was talking with one of the teachers at a staff get together last week, and she was telling me an interesting story about one of the students. There was a young man who was becoming severely frustrated at school. It all came to a head when the young man broke down in tears last week while doing kanji drill practice. With tears in his eyes, “I want to go back to America” the boy sobbed. The teacher did her best to comfort the young man. When I actually found out who the student was, I was really surprised because he’s such a well-behaved kid. I’ve talked to him on several occasions and he’s...

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Happy Thanksgiving Everybody

November 24, 2011
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Happy Thanksgiving Everybody

I’m not going to write a long post today, because I’m pretty sure everybody’s going to be out and about enjoying the Thanksgiving Holidays with their family and friends. Here’s to the turkey, to the stuffing, the dressing, the dinner rolls, the casseroles, the pound cakes, the carrot cakes, the pies (OMG…peach pie…I NEED PEACH PIE), the laughter, the friends, the family…the holidays. I hope you all have your best Thanksgiving ever. I am so grateful to have cool readers like you. HAPPY THANKSGIVING, EVERYBODY!! Sincerely, Donald Ash

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Meiji no Yakata, Vintage Cars, and Lemon Cheesecake in Nikko, Japan

November 23, 2011
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WOW!!!

I know, I know, I said I was done with the Nikko stuff, but there were just so many cool things there, I couldn’t resist…forgive me everybody . But I do think you’ll find this information interesting if you ever have the chance to go. During my day trip, I went to this restaurant called Meiji no Yakata (明治の館 or めいじのやかた) which translates to mean Meiji’s Mansion. I though was pretty freakin’ cool. The restaurant had a slightly formal, western ambiance. I didn’t realize it, but this restaurant has a cool history behind it. I don’t know the whole story so forgive me if I botch a few of the details. Although the sign...

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The Nikko Video Post

November 22, 2011
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NikkoPicturePost6

Here’s just a little bit more just to show what Nikko looks like in living, breathing color. If you can’t tell by now, I sincerely enjoyed this place which is why I have so much about it. What is your absolute favorite place to visit in Japan? What do you like about it. Please feel free to leave comments below. Enjoy the video. See you soon!

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Nikko Picture Post Three

November 21, 2011
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NikkoPicturePost3feat

This is the last of the Nikko Picture Posts…well, sort of. I’m sure I will go back again, but these pictures were taken at what I want to say is Rinnouji (輪王寺 or りんのうじ). This temple had a lot fewer people, but was equally interesting. I especially liked the statues of the different guardians. Enjoy! Nikko was another of Japan’s “power spots,” as Japanese people like to say. There just wasn’t a whole lot not to like about this place. One regret I do have, is that I didn’t have a chance to see the incredible waterfalls that I’ve heard so much about. Ah well, this won’t be my last trip to Nikko, so...

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The Nikko Picture Post Two

November 20, 2011
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The Nikko Picture Post Two

Let’s take a look at some more pictures from Nikko, that cool city in Japan’s Tochigi Prefecture. I spent quite a bit of time at the Nikko Toshogu, but I had a chance to see some other things as well, like t See you tomorrow for Nikko Picture Post Number Three Donald Ash

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The Nikko Picture Post One

November 19, 2011
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A view of the main Nikko Toshogu's main courtyard

Nikko (日光, にっこう) is another one of those places that I’ve always wanted to go, so I made some time and I took a day trip there. Nikko is famous for Nikko Toshogu Shrine (日光東照宮 or にっこうとうしょうぐ), waterfalls, focal fall leaves. One particular carving I really wanted to see was the Three Wise Monkeys (Sanzaru (三猿 or さんざる)): In this particular carving one monkey is covering his eyes, another covering his ears, and the the third covering his mouth… see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil. This shrine has five famous treasures of which the Three Monkeys are one. Do you know the other four? No seriously, I can’t remember. There was...

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How Do You Match Up To Your Parents?

November 18, 2011
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How Do You Match Up To Your Parents?

The other day at the elementary school, we had like five flies get into the teachers lounge, and one of the other teachers wasn’t able to take care of them. So he gave the fly swatter to me, I closed my eyes and breathed deeply…the zen-calm came over me. When I opened my eyes, everything around me was moving in slow motion. With three swift swishes of my fly swatter, I sent three flies to insect nirvana, while the other flew out of one of the open windows. When I blinked again, things had gone back to normal speed (my zen mode doesn’t last so long these days). The teacher came up to me...

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Fall, My Favorite Japanese Season

November 17, 2011
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Fall, My Favorite Japanese Season

When people consider moving to Japan, they are often curious about what the weather is like just how extreme Japan’s seasons can get. In most parts of Japan, you can experience all four seasons. I know here in Tsukuba, we definitely have a distinct four. I would say it can get pretty cold here in the winter time, with the occasional snowy day. I’ve never been a huge winter fan, because winter is the time for colds, for runny noses, the flu, and all kinds of other bacterial and viral goodies that come with a cold-battered immune system. I wouldn’t say that winter in my neck of Japan is bitter cold, but it does...

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Teaching in Japan Troubleshooting: Eek Think Fast!

November 16, 2011
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Teaching in Japan Troubleshooting: Eek Think Fast!

If you teach in a Japanese public school, that time will invariably come when you have to teach a lesson at the spur of the moment. “Why would you have to teach an English lesson at the spur of the moment?” you ask. As an ALT you have your schedule given to you every week by your dispatch company, right? Well, it really depends on the company you work for. I have no doubt that some companies are going to be better than others at providing you with your weekly schedule. I must say that I haven’t had a problem with that at Interac, not as of late anyway. Initially I wasn’t getting my...

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