What is it that comes to your mind when you hear or read the word 'Japan'??
Samurai fights, World War bombings,
Cute Japanese Dolls, Pretty Japanese Girls,
Kimonos, Shrines,
High Rise buildings, Cosmopolitan lifestyle,
Automobiles, Electronic gadgets,
Fashion-Fare, Geishas,
Disneyland, Tokyo Tower,
Sushi, Sumo wrestling,
Snow clad landscapes, Mt. Fuji,
Cherry Blossom, Japanese Gardens,
Shinto Shrines, Buddhism,
blah, blah..
Depending on how you have known this country, through cinema or books or web or friends or food, you will have one or more of these words twinkling around the cloud of your thoughts.
Well, if you are planning to visit Japan and convert these thought bubbles into real, personal memories, here’s a little something that may help you in your planning.
BTW, before we begin, don't miss to bring an English-Japanese dictionary kinda book while visiting Japan.
If you have just a day or two for sight-seeing, there is a good itinerary on Wikipedia. Follow it blindly:-D
However, if you have a little longer time to spend, this post might actually help you!! You can Google the names and sites I have mentioned to know actual details of various places I have mentioned below :-)
Before we begin let me hand over a basic cost-of-living flier to all the readers. An Average meal cost in Tokyo can be 1000 JPY. Accommodations can be from 5000 JPY for Dormitories to 9000 JPY onwards for hotels.
In here, I have put together a day-to-day basis plan, for 7 days; However, Thanks to the options provided for day four, you can extend this up to 11 days [For those who don't know the Tokyo legends, I can be notorious when it comes to giving options: P].
Shuffle the days and tailor the trips as per your convenience J
Day One:
Call me Orthodox but let’s start the tour with visiting some temples and shrines.
There are many renowned temples, Shrines in and around Tokyo, but I would recommend two spots.
1. Take Tokyo Metro Tozai Line and get down at Monzen Nakacho. Here, after you come out of the exit, you have a Buddhist Temple on one hand and a Shinto Shrine on the other!!
Bingo!! We just checked two of those bubbly words as 'been there' :-)
2. Transfer to Ginza line/Asakusa line at visit Sensoji Temple in Asakusa. This is one of the popular attractions in Tokyo.
I recommend this for 2 reasons other than the fact that it’s an ancient temple.
a. All the lanes leading to this temple from the exit of Asakusa station are lined up with many shops selling a reasonably priced variety of souvenirs. I know it’s too early to buy any souvenirs, but you cannot just hold yourselves back here.
Anything from key chains and pens made with traditional designs to Japanese dolls, kimonos, swords, fans can be bought here and that’s what makes this place one of my personal shopping favorites.
b. If you are not budget-savvy, you can take rides of old-Asakusa town in carts pulled by traditionally dressed Japanese folks. This can also be a good experience.
In some places of India, such carts happen to be the cheapest modes of transportation. Well, don't carry such delusion with you to Japan :-)
The third benefit of this place - you can board a ferry/cruise boat for Odaiba at a walking distance from this temple.
Odaiba is the futuristic town in Tokyo and there are many kool places to visit here. I would specially recommend the Toyota Museum, Fuji Building and the replica of 'Statue of Liberty' as must see.
Enjoy the monorail from here till Shimbashi.
From Shimbashi, go to Ginza and stroll on the most expensive shopping lane of the world with all leading brands having their shops here.
At least an hour before sunset, reach to the Tokyo Tower.
This is tallest tower in world if we ignore antennae heights. Eiffel tower beats this one due to antennae height. Arrive here by 5.30 PM, enjoy the day view and stay on top till 8.30 PM to enjoy the night view of Tokyo.
Have dinner in Indian restaurant Nirvanam or Mexican restaurant Zest, close to the tower and head towards Roppongi.
Spend time enjoying night life of Tokyo here in various pubs, discs, bars till 5 AM next morning. If you have family and kids with you, skip this part and get back to your room for a good nights sleep: P
Day two:
Take first train [after a night out in Roppongi or after a tight sleep in your room] and get down at Tsukiji station.
5 minutes walk and you are in Japan's biggest fish market selling even whales and sharks ["they" say so :-)].
See the big auctions and morning rush in this market, which is closed in day-time and come out to enjoy cheap, very fresh and tasty Sushi.
I am assuming that you are checking those boxes of 'been there' by yourselves now.
Those who have spent their nights in Roppongi, go get some sleep.
Family folks can come over to Tokyo station and visit Imperial palace garden, Marunouchi and Shin-Marunouchi buildings, etc.
In the afternoon go to Akihabara - the electric town of Tokyo.
Enjoy and be amazed with streets filled up with all kinds of electric and electronic gazettes.
Before buying anything, remember to check the voltage range for the gazette.
In evening go to Tokyo Dome and enjoy some very good rides here. If you plan carefully, you can enjoy some baseball game, or sumo wrestling competition in this time. Tokyo Dome is a good place to visit without any of these plans as well :-)
Day three:
Wake up early and go to Tokyo station.
Take a bullet train to Minakami [Either Minakami or Gala-Uzawa in winters].
Minakami has Bungi jumping, river rafting and other adventure sports in summers and Minakami and Gala-Uzawa are nearest places for skiing, snowboarding in winters.
Spend this day the X-treme way!!
Day four:
This is the day when I get down to my real business - giving options :-)
Depending on your budget and time you have, you can take either of below options:
Option One: Take a one day trip to Fuji-Hakone. Odakyu Line runs from Shinjuku and a 1/2 day round-trip pass can be a good way to see Mt. Fuji and its surroundings.
Option Two: From Tokyo station, go to Yokohama. Enjoy the china town [biggest in Japan] here. Proceed to Kamakura and see the Daibutsu [big Buddha] statue. Then either go to the Kamakura beach or return to Yokohama and enjoy a variety of rides, a good view from top of Landmark Tower building [69th floor with world's second fastest elevator], sail in a cruiser, etc.
Option Three: From Tokyo station, take an overnight bus or early morning Shinkansen to Kyoto. Visit this historical capital of Japan, with many scenic shrines, temples and Kimono shops. There is also a Geisha town here.
Option Four: Instead of returning to Tokyo, stay over in Kyoto and continue to see Nara next day [One hour journey]. The Japanese gardens and Buddhist temples here are too good.
Take a bus/train to Osaka [One hour from Nara]. Visit various temples, shrines and the Umeda Sky Building.
Option Five: Instead of returning to Tokyo, enjoy Universal Studios in Osaka. There is enough recreation here to last for one day. In the evening return to Tokyo by Bus/Train.
Day five:
Go to Tokyo Disneyland.
I am assuming that this is not a weekend. Remember, weekdays will be less crowded and will let you enjoy more rides :-)
Take an over-night bus to Hiroshima [You can also take a Bullet Train, which your budget permits].
Day six:
Do some sight seeing in Hiroshima including the war monuments in the day and return by night bus [or bullet train].
Day seven:
It’s now time to rest after journey to Hiroshima and to pack for return journey.
A quick visit to Makuhari for cheap, factory branded goods [especially shoes and sports goods] can be accommodated in this day as well.
If you have read this post, you now have a lot of places to Google for and a variety of places to visit, depending on your taste and preferences.
Hope that this information proves useful to you!! Happy Holidays!!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Sounds like a typical blog.. [English]
Take One:
Enter any food place in Japan and all the folks working at the place, from the person at the counter to the person at the extreme end in the kitchen shout 'irrasai masae' [welcome]. They serve you always with a smiling face and again all of them shout 'Arigatou Gozaimasu' [thankyou] when you are leaving the place. Did i mention that Japanese culture does not believe in accepting tips for serving food to others. It's a hospitability gesture.
You feel so good about the experience and the people working in the hotel. You merrily accept them as your hosts, who just served you a delightful meal.
Now let me get back home via Bollywood.
Movie Lage Raho Munnabhai - Munna's Gandhigiri funda no 301: "dekho agar wo waiter ko hoo-hoo ya chhii-chhiii karke bulaye to waha se kat leneka" a present day reflection of "Aadmi ko parakhna ho to ye dekho ki apne se neeche tabke ke logo se woh kaise bartav karta hai" [If you have to judge a man, watch how he behaves with the people of lower status than him]!!
Thanks to this scene, it has become easier for me, to establish the general outlook people have about the waiters in restaurants - a person with lowly social [and financial ofcourse] status.
In fact, i remember one incident very well in this context. Me and my group of friends went to a hotel for drinking ice-cream soda. One of my best friends called the waiter .. "bhaiyya .. 3 ice-cream soda". Then, he turned to us and said .. "I always call the waiters as bhaiyya/bhau [brother]; after all these people are also humans like us"!!!
These two incidents only give one message - Waiters in India are not just a lowly group of society; it requires a person with compassion, humane and merciful nature, to actually consider them human beings. For any other average Indian, they are sub-humans!!
So, is it just the lack of compassion among average Indians like me, which has resulted in this outlook? And has the frequent experiences to watch waiters pounding all those 5 glasses on your tables and also his lingering behind for some tip contributed towards this? But then, what makes them do this? Doesn't the frustration rise because of the struggle they need to do daily while trying to meet their ends with a low income? and isn't the lingering behind for tip also to enhance the wage for the day? and, can we blame our society's ignorance towards minimum wage regulation for this?
Cut!!
This is slowly becoming a typical blog, where the thoughts ponder only to blame ourselves and our surroundings. Can we also think of the way out??
By the way, who cares for the way out as long as your blog helps people identify with their own frustrations!! so, let's have another take at the Foreignland [Japan] experiences blog, shall we??
Take Two:
Planning to go somewhere on the weekend?? Just look for the station name and the exit number. You will reach there with utmost convenience in an air-conditioned carrier. Thats the courtesy of Tokyo Metro!!
But then, in the morning and evening hours of weekdays, it is so jam-packed!! I can catch a train every alternative minute from my station Myoden, and yet each of those trains is crowded like hell.
Always makes me think of the Mumbai Local train network. I have always admired the Mumbai Locals for the efficiency and convinience they bring to transportation.
As I become more nostalgic about it, my thoughts linger on additional convinience that the first class compartments bring to the Mumbai Locals journey!! Much less crowd, Much decent crowd!!
They should start such compartments in the metro here ..
WAIT!! Doesn't the Tokyo metro boast that they do not want any bias and discrimination among people, and that is achieved my making everyone travel in the same boggies, paying the same ticket money!!
So, two Japanese people leaning over each other in the crowded metro train can come out of the train, and one of them can turn out to be a sanitation worker and other CEO of some company. Outside the metro, in their own little worlds, they are all different. But within the metro, everyone is the same!!
So, is the the Tokyo Metro which should change, or is it the Mumbai locals? Do we need to make the people travelling in general compartments think that they cannot afford to go by first class on a daily basis, and do we need to create a superiority complex among first class travelers that they are a better lot, a more sophisticated lot?? Do we need to have this economic and social barrier and distinction in each and every aspect of life, showcasing the privileged and the commons??
Cut!!
Take three:
On the evening of 20th Dec, one of the offshore folks called me, 'Can you re-confirm the holidays in December? Why are you working on 25th Dec, its Christmas!!'
My American colleague was already shouting 'Back home, Christmas is the day when even Mc-D is closed. Why do I have to work, just because I am in Japan??'
Yes, you guessed it right. There is no Christmas holiday in Japan. And for that matter there is no holiday for any other religiously significant days and events.
Japan justifies its secularism principles by having 'NO religious holidays'.
I could not help to imagine what it would be like if Indian government decides to implement that!! Firstly, salaried employees who enjoy national holidays would have to work more - a lot more. but will this extra work by them help to reduce the religious discrimination? Just because a Amar is working on Diwali and a Akbar on Eid, and a Anthony on christmas, will the politicos stop campaigning and rioting based on religions? Will the vote bank equations ever change? Would the step towards a secular India ever get a support in Democratic India??
Cut!!
Take four:
There is a signal on the way from our office building towards the Marunouchi building. We cross this signal so many times, thanks to our preferred lunch spots being in Marunouchi building.
During my initial days in Japan, i used to wait for pedestrian light to be green before crossing this signal. One fine day, one of my friends here said 'C'mon, Have u ever bothered to wait for pedestrian signal to be green, when you were back home in India, for all those 27 years of your life?? Be yourself. Remember, WE ARE INDIANS'
From there on, I just sneak past the signal, at the first opportunity i get, whether it is green or red.
And then just two weeks back, i had a team lunch. On our way back, while I was walking along with two ladies from my team [both Japanese], i hesitated to cross. But the ladies checked there was no vehicle around and started walking in red!!
me: I thought i am the only one who does that in our team.
M: No, we also dont wait for this signal. Its a waste of time!!
K: But, i never do this when there are any children around.
M: yeah, its bad education for them.
K: nooo, i just cannot stand them, as they start teasing immediately!!
We laughed the conversation off, but then that very statement reminded me of a daily phenomenon i observe, which resembles the statement.
Every morning, I wake up, get ready and rush towards the metro station like millions of other people in Tokyo. In this morning rush, all those sprinting towards Myoden station, simply ignore one pedestrian signal near my room.
Yes, you guessed it right!! Basically, this breaking the signal affair is not just about being from India, its about being responsible, being punctual, being professional, being an adult!!
Coming back to the signal, every day around 8 AM there is a mentally challenged guy, aged around 40-45 years standing near the liqour shop at the signal. I have named him Jack in my mind as the shops name is Liqour Jack. At around 8.15, a mini-van comes and picks him up for his work. So, for those roughly 15 minutes while Jack is standing there, he shouts and makes wierd noises from time to time. On my first day i had thought he needs help to cross the road, but soon saw the van approaching for him. So, what was it about??
After around 6 months of observation now, I have confirmed one thing. he shouts and makes noises, only when people are crossing the signal in red!!
I know you will think this was an obvious incident i would put here, but however obvious it appears, it is equally true!!
So, when my team mate mentioned about kids teasing her while trying to cross the red light, I just couldn't stop thinking about Jack!!
I know this is now sounding like a typical blog again. however, i have been thinking from that day on, we may justify the laughing kids that being adults, we need to rush to work; but how do I justify this act of all of the mentally-unchallenged adult professionals to Jack??
How??
Enter any food place in Japan and all the folks working at the place, from the person at the counter to the person at the extreme end in the kitchen shout 'irrasai masae' [welcome]. They serve you always with a smiling face and again all of them shout 'Arigatou Gozaimasu' [thankyou] when you are leaving the place. Did i mention that Japanese culture does not believe in accepting tips for serving food to others. It's a hospitability gesture.
You feel so good about the experience and the people working in the hotel. You merrily accept them as your hosts, who just served you a delightful meal.
Now let me get back home via Bollywood.
Movie Lage Raho Munnabhai - Munna's Gandhigiri funda no 301: "dekho agar wo waiter ko hoo-hoo ya chhii-chhiii karke bulaye to waha se kat leneka" a present day reflection of "Aadmi ko parakhna ho to ye dekho ki apne se neeche tabke ke logo se woh kaise bartav karta hai" [If you have to judge a man, watch how he behaves with the people of lower status than him]!!
Thanks to this scene, it has become easier for me, to establish the general outlook people have about the waiters in restaurants - a person with lowly social [and financial ofcourse] status.
In fact, i remember one incident very well in this context. Me and my group of friends went to a hotel for drinking ice-cream soda. One of my best friends called the waiter .. "bhaiyya .. 3 ice-cream soda". Then, he turned to us and said .. "I always call the waiters as bhaiyya/bhau [brother]; after all these people are also humans like us"!!!
These two incidents only give one message - Waiters in India are not just a lowly group of society; it requires a person with compassion, humane and merciful nature, to actually consider them human beings. For any other average Indian, they are sub-humans!!
So, is it just the lack of compassion among average Indians like me, which has resulted in this outlook? And has the frequent experiences to watch waiters pounding all those 5 glasses on your tables and also his lingering behind for some tip contributed towards this? But then, what makes them do this? Doesn't the frustration rise because of the struggle they need to do daily while trying to meet their ends with a low income? and isn't the lingering behind for tip also to enhance the wage for the day? and, can we blame our society's ignorance towards minimum wage regulation for this?
Cut!!
This is slowly becoming a typical blog, where the thoughts ponder only to blame ourselves and our surroundings. Can we also think of the way out??
By the way, who cares for the way out as long as your blog helps people identify with their own frustrations!! so, let's have another take at the Foreignland [Japan] experiences blog, shall we??
Take Two:
Planning to go somewhere on the weekend?? Just look for the station name and the exit number. You will reach there with utmost convenience in an air-conditioned carrier. Thats the courtesy of Tokyo Metro!!
But then, in the morning and evening hours of weekdays, it is so jam-packed!! I can catch a train every alternative minute from my station Myoden, and yet each of those trains is crowded like hell.
Always makes me think of the Mumbai Local train network. I have always admired the Mumbai Locals for the efficiency and convinience they bring to transportation.
As I become more nostalgic about it, my thoughts linger on additional convinience that the first class compartments bring to the Mumbai Locals journey!! Much less crowd, Much decent crowd!!
They should start such compartments in the metro here ..
WAIT!! Doesn't the Tokyo metro boast that they do not want any bias and discrimination among people, and that is achieved my making everyone travel in the same boggies, paying the same ticket money!!
So, two Japanese people leaning over each other in the crowded metro train can come out of the train, and one of them can turn out to be a sanitation worker and other CEO of some company. Outside the metro, in their own little worlds, they are all different. But within the metro, everyone is the same!!
So, is the the Tokyo Metro which should change, or is it the Mumbai locals? Do we need to make the people travelling in general compartments think that they cannot afford to go by first class on a daily basis, and do we need to create a superiority complex among first class travelers that they are a better lot, a more sophisticated lot?? Do we need to have this economic and social barrier and distinction in each and every aspect of life, showcasing the privileged and the commons??
Cut!!
Take three:
On the evening of 20th Dec, one of the offshore folks called me, 'Can you re-confirm the holidays in December? Why are you working on 25th Dec, its Christmas!!'
My American colleague was already shouting 'Back home, Christmas is the day when even Mc-D is closed. Why do I have to work, just because I am in Japan??'
Yes, you guessed it right. There is no Christmas holiday in Japan. And for that matter there is no holiday for any other religiously significant days and events.
Japan justifies its secularism principles by having 'NO religious holidays'.
I could not help to imagine what it would be like if Indian government decides to implement that!! Firstly, salaried employees who enjoy national holidays would have to work more - a lot more. but will this extra work by them help to reduce the religious discrimination? Just because a Amar is working on Diwali and a Akbar on Eid, and a Anthony on christmas, will the politicos stop campaigning and rioting based on religions? Will the vote bank equations ever change? Would the step towards a secular India ever get a support in Democratic India??
Cut!!
Take four:
There is a signal on the way from our office building towards the Marunouchi building. We cross this signal so many times, thanks to our preferred lunch spots being in Marunouchi building.
During my initial days in Japan, i used to wait for pedestrian light to be green before crossing this signal. One fine day, one of my friends here said 'C'mon, Have u ever bothered to wait for pedestrian signal to be green, when you were back home in India, for all those 27 years of your life?? Be yourself. Remember, WE ARE INDIANS'
From there on, I just sneak past the signal, at the first opportunity i get, whether it is green or red.
And then just two weeks back, i had a team lunch. On our way back, while I was walking along with two ladies from my team [both Japanese], i hesitated to cross. But the ladies checked there was no vehicle around and started walking in red!!
me: I thought i am the only one who does that in our team.
M: No, we also dont wait for this signal. Its a waste of time!!
K: But, i never do this when there are any children around.
M: yeah, its bad education for them.
K: nooo, i just cannot stand them, as they start teasing immediately!!
We laughed the conversation off, but then that very statement reminded me of a daily phenomenon i observe, which resembles the statement.
Every morning, I wake up, get ready and rush towards the metro station like millions of other people in Tokyo. In this morning rush, all those sprinting towards Myoden station, simply ignore one pedestrian signal near my room.
Yes, you guessed it right!! Basically, this breaking the signal affair is not just about being from India, its about being responsible, being punctual, being professional, being an adult!!
Coming back to the signal, every day around 8 AM there is a mentally challenged guy, aged around 40-45 years standing near the liqour shop at the signal. I have named him Jack in my mind as the shops name is Liqour Jack. At around 8.15, a mini-van comes and picks him up for his work. So, for those roughly 15 minutes while Jack is standing there, he shouts and makes wierd noises from time to time. On my first day i had thought he needs help to cross the road, but soon saw the van approaching for him. So, what was it about??
After around 6 months of observation now, I have confirmed one thing. he shouts and makes noises, only when people are crossing the signal in red!!
I know you will think this was an obvious incident i would put here, but however obvious it appears, it is equally true!!
So, when my team mate mentioned about kids teasing her while trying to cross the red light, I just couldn't stop thinking about Jack!!
I know this is now sounding like a typical blog again. however, i have been thinking from that day on, we may justify the laughing kids that being adults, we need to rush to work; but how do I justify this act of all of the mentally-unchallenged adult professionals to Jack??
How??
Friday, February 20, 2009
Japanese Dance Recital - My experience [English]
Jiutamai Dance recital by Kasami-sensei
I had known since last two years that Kasami-san goes for learning a Japanese traditional dance.
However, with a background of a rather hectic work schedule that she has, and also considering that she has a sweet little daughter to look after, I did not imagine her dedication to this hobby to be more than my own dedication to exercising :-)
One fine day this illusion of mine vanished after Namita-san sent out information mail about the Dance recital which Kasami-san was performing.
When I went to her desk for enquiring about this event, Kasami-san further elaborated us that the major attraction of this program was performances by her Sensei. We had a chance to see the performance of a maestro, accompanied by the best musicians in Japan. Further more, she was also excited about the fact that her Sensei would be wearing the authentic [and very expensive] Kimonos specially brought in for this performance and a genuine traditional makeup by specialists.
Ticket to enjoy a rare traditional performance and to see a colleague as a part of this phenomenon - I was not going to miss this one!!
About the Dance: [Courtesy – Information mail by Namita-san]
This Japanese traditional dance is called Jiutamai. It is performed with accompaniment of a song and a musical instrument called Sangen. Jiutamai derives its beauty by “movement in stillness” and is a representation of self-awareness, of oriental movement, and of holding communion with nature.
Togari-san sent out a map to us soon after this discussion and we decided to assemble at Ometo-sando station exit and go to the theater together.
18th Oct 2008 - the day of performance being a Saturday I struggled to get myself out of my bed and rushed on towards the venue.
After Togari-san arrived at the station, two of us started to walk towards the theater. Intention was to reserve some good seats in the theater for all of us, and then wait for others to join.
The lane, on which this theater is, happens to be a modern fashion street for Tokyo with many fashion houses and brands having their outlets here. I could see many tourists floating around as well.
Theater building is having the original cement concrete casting surface maintained. I believe that with many steel structures wrapped in acrylic panes around, this concrete makes a fashion statement in itself.
It is originally a Kabuki theater with seating arrangement on two sides of the stage and a seating capacity of around 200 people.
The initial two performances were by the maestro herself and these were to be followed by the student performances.
The grace with which the maestro moved gradually along the music beats was wonderful. Music in itself was slow but soothing. I found it very meditative. For those moments, when I indulged into listening to the music and song, and to seeing the dance recital; I forgot all the worldly matters.
While the first performance was of a girl missing her lover, my personal f
avorite was the second performance – portraying first a hunter killing for a living and then a bird hit by this hunter.
It was amazing to see the same performer convincing us to be a hunter; with moves first of a manly and daredevil character and then to be a bird, with all its agony and pain, as it nears the death-bed.
I can’t help to confess that the final moments of this dance, portraying this agony and pain brought tears in my eyes. May be that’s why I liked this dance the most.
During the interval between dance performances, Togari-san elaborated that the songs were in very old Japanese language and not many understand these songs. They may identify the individual words in these songs though.
I am already notorious for relating things, and could not help to think of traditional Indian dance performances at this moment.
These also have background songs mostly in Sanskrit, a language which is mother of so many Indian languages, but which is hardly spoken these days. We also can identify many of the individual words, relating them to the languages we currently speak, but if somebody sings in Sanskrit ….
Anyways, we were soon watching the student dance performances. They said the best student will perform at the end and so it was – last performance among students was Kasami-san’s performance.
Theme of Kasami-san’s performance: Kurokami [Black hair o
f a young girl]
She portrayed the loneliness of a young Geisha missing her Patron.
The Solitude in her moves, and the self-restraint was amazing. Grace in her movement was also good.
For information of all, these performers have to bend in knees during the entire recital. That makes this entire episode really difficult and demands a lot of practice and self-restraint.
Then came our bonus – a motherly touch to this rare recital.
Kasami-san’s mother saw us all and sent out special Rice and Red Bean sweet Cakes for all of us.
Whatever part of world you are in, you won’t be hungry as long as there is a mother around.
We ate these cakes walking on the streets of Ometo-sando, as we were window shopping after the recital.
This recital presented me a unique chance to see a Japanese traditional dance and i enjoyed it fully. Hope you all enjoyed the reading.
More Snaps of this recital available at my Picasa web album:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/parsooram/Japanese_Dance_Recital
I had known since last two years that Kasami-san goes for learning a Japanese traditional dance.
However, with a background of a rather hectic work schedule that she has, and also considering that she has a sweet little daughter to look after, I did not imagine her dedication to this hobby to be more than my own dedication to exercising :-)
One fine day this illusion of mine vanished after Namita-san sent out information mail about the Dance recital which Kasami-san was performing.
When I went to her desk for enquiring about this event, Kasami-san further elaborated us that the major attraction of this program was performances by her Sensei. We had a chance to see the performance of a maestro, accompanied by the best musicians in Japan. Further more, she was also excited about the fact that her Sensei would be wearing the authentic [and very expensive] Kimonos specially brought in for this performance and a genuine traditional makeup by specialists.
Ticket to enjoy a rare traditional performance and to see a colleague as a part of this phenomenon - I was not going to miss this one!!
About the Dance: [Courtesy – Information mail by Namita-san]
This Japanese traditional dance is called Jiutamai. It is performed with accompaniment of a song and a musical instrument called Sangen. Jiutamai derives its beauty by “movement in stillness” and is a representation of self-awareness, of oriental movement, and of holding communion with nature.
Togari-san sent out a map to us soon after this discussion and we decided to assemble at Ometo-sando station exit and go to the theater together.
18th Oct 2008 - the day of performance being a Saturday I struggled to get myself out of my bed and rushed on towards the venue.
After Togari-san arrived at the station, two of us started to walk towards the theater. Intention was to reserve some good seats in the theater for all of us, and then wait for others to join.
The lane, on which this theater is, happens to be a modern fashion street for Tokyo with many fashion houses and brands having their outlets here. I could see many tourists floating around as well.
Theater building is having the original cement concrete casting surface maintained. I believe that with many steel structures wrapped in acrylic panes around, this concrete makes a fashion statement in itself.
It is originally a Kabuki theater with seating arrangement on two sides of the stage and a seating capacity of around 200 people.
The initial two performances were by the maestro herself and these were to be followed by the student performances.
The grace with which the maestro moved gradually along the music beats was wonderful. Music in itself was slow but soothing. I found it very meditative. For those moments, when I indulged into listening to the music and song, and to seeing the dance recital; I forgot all the worldly matters.
While the first performance was of a girl missing her lover, my personal f
avorite was the second performance – portraying first a hunter killing for a living and then a bird hit by this hunter.It was amazing to see the same performer convincing us to be a hunter; with moves first of a manly and daredevil character and then to be a bird, with all its agony and pain, as it nears the death-bed.
I can’t help to confess that the final moments of this dance, portraying this agony and pain brought tears in my eyes. May be that’s why I liked this dance the most.
During the interval between dance performances, Togari-san elaborated that the songs were in very old Japanese language and not many understand these songs. They may identify the individual words in these songs though.
I am already notorious for relating things, and could not help to think of traditional Indian dance performances at this moment.
These also have background songs mostly in Sanskrit, a language which is mother of so many Indian languages, but which is hardly spoken these days. We also can identify many of the individual words, relating them to the languages we currently speak, but if somebody sings in Sanskrit ….
Anyways, we were soon watching the student dance performances. They said the best student will perform at the end and so it was – last performance among students was Kasami-san’s performance.
Theme of Kasami-san’s performance: Kurokami [Black hair o
f a young girl]She portrayed the loneliness of a young Geisha missing her Patron.
The Solitude in her moves, and the self-restraint was amazing. Grace in her movement was also good.
For information of all, these performers have to bend in knees during the entire recital. That makes this entire episode really difficult and demands a lot of practice and self-restraint.
Then came our bonus – a motherly touch to this rare recital.
Kasami-san’s mother saw us all and sent out special Rice and Red Bean sweet Cakes for all of us.
Whatever part of world you are in, you won’t be hungry as long as there is a mother around.
We ate these cakes walking on the streets of Ometo-sando, as we were window shopping after the recital.
This recital presented me a unique chance to see a Japanese traditional dance and i enjoyed it fully. Hope you all enjoyed the reading.
More Snaps of this recital available at my Picasa web album:
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/parsooram/Japanese_Dance_Recital
Tsukuba Aijen - ek asaahi anubhav [Marathi]
UBS tarfe ithe nirnirale community affairs che program chalu astaat. Ek asaach program hota -Tsukuba Aijen ya anaathashrama madhe jaun tithlya kitchen ani dining rooms la paint karnyaacha .. tyaat bhar mhanje dining room madhe bhinitin varti veg-vegli chitre hi kadhaychi hoti, tya anaath mula-mulichya barobarine ..
Amchya team ni hya kaamgiricha vida uchalalaa ..
Choti mothi chitra mi ithe tithe rekhaatat asto nehmi .. visheshtaha bore lectures, training sessions ani meetings madhe ha majha aavadta udyog ahe. Pun Chitra kadhun rangavnyaacha yog shalenantar pahilyandach ala ithe .. te hi direct oil paint ni .. shivay aayushyaat pahilyandaach rangaari banlo .. ani majhya civil engineering degree chi laaj rakhat mi utkrusht pune rang dila ;-)
Samajik karya, team barobar kyampyutar sodun itar kshetra madhe ekatra kaam karnyacha anubhav, shaletli aathavan taaji karnaari chitrakala, 'Civil engineering cha Infosys madhlya job madhe upyog jhala' ase sangta yave mhanun ki kaay milaleli rang kaamachi sandhi, lahaan mulanchya galkyaat diwas bhar mauj majaa .. asaahi anubhav havaach pratyek 2-4 mahinyaat nidan ekhada!!
tithe kahi foto kadhun tyache ek presentation banavle ahe mi .. te ya blog madhe taaktoy .. jaroor pahaa ..
Amchya team ni hya kaamgiricha vida uchalalaa ..
Choti mothi chitra mi ithe tithe rekhaatat asto nehmi .. visheshtaha bore lectures, training sessions ani meetings madhe ha majha aavadta udyog ahe. Pun Chitra kadhun rangavnyaacha yog shalenantar pahilyandach ala ithe .. te hi direct oil paint ni .. shivay aayushyaat pahilyandaach rangaari banlo .. ani majhya civil engineering degree chi laaj rakhat mi utkrusht pune rang dila ;-)
Samajik karya, team barobar kyampyutar sodun itar kshetra madhe ekatra kaam karnyacha anubhav, shaletli aathavan taaji karnaari chitrakala, 'Civil engineering cha Infosys madhlya job madhe upyog jhala' ase sangta yave mhanun ki kaay milaleli rang kaamachi sandhi, lahaan mulanchya galkyaat diwas bhar mauj majaa .. asaahi anubhav havaach pratyek 2-4 mahinyaat nidan ekhada!!
tithe kahi foto kadhun tyache ek presentation banavle ahe mi .. te ya blog madhe taaktoy .. jaroor pahaa ..
He sagle ani ajun hi barech se photo paahnya saathi majhya Picasa Web Album la jaroor bhet dya:
http://picasaweb.google.com/parsooram/TsukubaAijienColoursOfUBS
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