A Japanese Afternoon.

Where does my time go here?
I think I left off talking about going to Jackie's teacher, Yoko San, for the afternoon. Yoko has been just wonderful to me. She picked me up that afternoon. I forgot how nice it is to have a car to come and go as you please. Yoko is easy to talk to and at times not so easy to understand. She actually has remarkable English skills. This is really quite uncommon for Onomichi. I also believe that she is very curious about "foreigners". As she said to me that in as little as ten years ago, seeing white people in Onomichi was very rare. Now that teaching English has been mandated in all the grades, the English speaking students are coming to all the cities, towns and villages and teaching their children. Slowly the Japanese are becoming accustomed to seeing the foreigners in their towns.
I noticed though, the difference in number of foreigners in the bigger cities as compared to Onomichi. In Onomichi, I feel that I am definitely white and am often stared at. Well that is until I look at them. They quickly look away. It would be rude to stare.
Jackie told me that in one of her classrooms, she tried to help the children understand that if they went to another country that they would be foreigners. She said that they could not comprehend what she was talking about. They could never be foreigners!
It is these king of talks that Yoko and I have had. She was more than happy to entertain me for the afternoon while Jackie was at work.
Earlier in the week, she asked me what my favorite food was so far. I told her that Jackie and I had been to a restaurant where we had okonomiyaki. I thoroughly enjoyed it. She then said that Jackie and I should come over and she would show us how it is made. Wow that is quite the invitation and I was quite excited to participate. The plans evolved into a whole afternoon event.
She picked me up and we immediately went to her favorite grocery store. She had to buy all the ingredients. More over she wanted to show me all the foods that make up a Japanese grocery store. We spent over an hour in two grocery stores. She showed me all kinds of wild and wonderful vegtables and fruits and fish and rice and seaweed and powders and teas that I have never seen or at least never looked for in Calgary. Once we had all the ingredients we went back to her house and waited for her teacher.
I think in the previous blog, I said Yoko San was a teacher. She isn't. She is a student and it takes a lot of practice to learn how to dress someone in a kimono. The teacher came and the fun started. This women of whom I can't remember her name, has apparently held the country honor of being able to put on her own Kimono the fastest. After I was in one, I can't believe she is actually able to put it on herself.
There was much fussing about the colors of the kimonos and sashes and ties. There was several kimonos there which surprised me. I am told that the kimono usually costs approximately $1000. Cnd. and that is at its cheapest. Yoko San had several handed down to her from her mom and several she has aquired over the years.
Finally everything was decided while I stood wondering what to do. Off with the clothes. The Japanese have no body issues. The teacher helped me on with a top half slip which was tied in the back and a half slip. Then because I had bigger feet than them they found me a pair of stretchy split toe socks to put on. Okay, its starting to come together, I thought. Then the second layer of a lighter but fancy shorter Kimono. This is the first layer around the neck. There was much tying and sinching and knotting. However because it is behind you, I had no idea what was going on. Next the most beautiful silk Kimono was put on me. More belts and wrap around ties with plastic, cardboard inserted in the front to keep it flat I guess. The silk and brocade wrap around the waist was put on and cinched and more ties and rope belts. In the end I was kimoned and felt quite elegant. Uncomfortable, but elegant. Then Jackie arrived and I got to watch how they dressed her. It is unbelievably complicated. We both looked so elegant. Yes there was lots of pictures taken and when I figure out how to post them, I will.
The teacher left and then Yoko San had us to her tea ceremony. That is another thing all steeped in tradition.
We then undressed,although we didn't want to and went to the kitchen to make Okonomiyaki which is the Japanese equivelent to pizza. A pancake type batter is used to bind together the cabbage, noodles, meat vegetables, fish layers. It is usually cooked at the table and in a restaraunt you get to use the wooden spatula to eat it with.
I was also served Sake and another sake like drink. Jackie and Yoko couldn't join me as there is zero tolerance for drinking and driving.
It was the most wonderful afternoon. And something that I will remember for a very long time about my time in Japan.