Kunisaki

Wifey told me this post was way too geeky for a Kunisaki post, and if I had any readers, then I would surely have lost them by now. So, its rightful place is here, on a more 'technical' blog.

OK, nothing to see here, just click 'Older Posts' and please move on, no need to create a queue!

I think that every blog needs either a page devoted to the 'WTF' issues one experiences in Japan, or at least a short post like this one. Yes, short I say. It'll prepare you for arriving, or make you feel assured that you're not the only one.

Now I think late summer and early autumn are a good time to kick off in Japan. I did. Kyushu in general, and Kunisaki in particular, gets awfully hot in summer and pretty chilly in winter. I've been here 3 months. So once the honeymoon is over, and winter is in full swing, one starts to ponder. So, I've started to ponder those odd things that are peculiarly Japanese. Everyone who knows me, I really love Japan, this is just some venting of the spleen :-).

Now I will be clear on this, your mileage may vary, after all I live in countryside Kunisaki, within Oita prefecture, so perceptions will differ by location. Why? Because Japan, like the UK, has many unique areas. This is not Australia, there are conurbations, even layers, of culture here!

Anyway, we are reasonably south and in the big island of Kyushu. And no don't think Okinawa, that's way south, maybe another 1000km's. Just think the opposite end of the spectrum from snowy Hokaido. Here everything is designed for the heat, not the cold. Even if it snows in winter nonetheless. Hmmm, I feel a list of WTF's coming on.

• Japan is an advanced nation. OK I live in the countryside. BUT. There are so few houses with central heating! Every shop sells a heated mat, toilet seat, 炬燵 (kotatsu) for sitting under as you eat, body cocoon while you sit watching TV, heated pads to stick to your body. WTF, heat the god damned house - fix the actual problem, stop using sticky tape solutions. Arghhhh!
• OK I am originally a European. British / Maltese to be exact. So I am used to fairly fast roads. This is not a debate about the environmental issues of driving and consuming fossil fuels. This is a rant. 40km/hr is not a speed limit for open roads. Nobody pays any attention to these signs and drives at 70. My grandmother moves faster than 40. And she's been dead for decades. Authorities, WTF. 
• It's a cultural norm. I get it. Japan is different. This is Asia even if the Japanese will baulk at that comment. But my desk is 12inches tall! The dining table ditto. Am I supposed to put my legs under these tables? That's a space for my feet! My office foot rest back home was almost this tall! Anyway, expect serious improvements in flexibility after living here a while. Or back pain. Maybe both. How does one's knowledge of good workplace ergonomics gel with a desk that leaves me positioned like a senior citizen suffering terminal constipation? Again, WTF!   
• What's with all these house rules. I'm not young. I'm forgetful. Maybe distracted is a better term. But my shoes have to be left a certain way - "just here, no not like that!" . My hats need to be left in a certain place, not where I might find them when I need to use them, like at the door. I can only walk in certain places with my slippers. Plus I have to change slippers depending on the flooring, the decor, possibly my state of incontinence, I'm not sure. WTF. I need my stuff in sensible places as I will forget unless they're where they're needed. To get out of the house now takes me half an hour, seeking out all the damn jackets, hats, shoes for myself and my young kids. Did I say it? WTF.
• Japan has an aging population. But in the countryside it is more than apparent. About a funeral a week in our area. I've been to 2 funerals in 2 months. Actually 2 people just died in that last couple of days. At this rate, I will eventually learn enough Japanese to communicate, and they'll all be dead before I say anything interesting. Just a personal note, more a 'What a Shame'!
• OK, Japan is very monolingual. The onus is on me to learn Japanese, and that is fine. But talking to me at full pelt, without preparing some essential words for me to focus on, really "Won't get you anywhere!". I grew up half my childhood in a bilingual country, so maybe I get the language learning thing more than most. BUT don't complain that I'm not speaking Japanese already. Get real! Yes, WTF.
• Food is different here. It is delicious. Healthy to boot. British food sucks. Honestly, chuck it straight in the toilet before it destroys your bowel. A lot about Australian food is better, but the move towards the American way of eating, means it's best thrown in the bog (yes, toilet) along with the heart damaging, palate destroying UK food. BUT. I'm not Japanese. My neck size is about the size of a typical Japanese male's thigh. If I get only vegetables for two meals, I get hungry. Then I get grumpy. And I write WTF blog posts. Expect some serious adjustment with food if you're a meat eater and a big calorie consumer. You'll have to learn to eat a lot more in one sitting, else an hour or so later you'll be hungry and grumpy, and then heading for a local store to eat something sugary and probably quite unhealthy. Be warned!
• TV. I'm not a great fan of TV. It's a great way to learn nothing and dull the brain. I don't get much Japanese TV. Firstly I'm too Japanese poor to understand. BUT. If I see another Japanese guy express how tasty something is, I will buy a big gun and shoot the TV. Any TV that is within my vicinity. In fact, expressing surprise at any dull and stupid fact will always get me annoyed. Get an education please, TV people. Viewers, WTF is wrong with you. It's on because you watch it. Turn it off!
• Japan in general. Don't take 薬 (ku-su-ri / medicine) blindly just because the doctor gives it to you. This is an on-line country. WTF, check it out! The side effects might be making you worse than the ailment.
• I'd really love to see less Hive Mind and more argumentative thinking. The authorities are not always right. In fact nobody is always right. To err is human. No, I won't mention nuclear right now.
• Sometimes knives (and forks) make sense. Like when I want to cut the fat off the meat that is on my plate. Yes, Japanese live a long time. I'm not Japanese, I will die a lot sooner eating saturated animal fat. Better still, cook the god damned meat without the fat on. I might not have a coronary at your table.
• Stop f*cking smoking. This is not the '70's! Sir Richard Dole helped us out no end in connecting cancer with smoking. I do not wish to load up with another mouthful of healthy food if you light up next to me. I might just fart in response. I'd be more comfortable if you put on a tyre, a little petrol, and then lit up. WTF.
• Why the f*ck is everything covered in sugar? Like I know, seaweed is good for me and it makes my rice palatable. Why does it have to taste sweet? There's an even healthier way! But, its the '70's yet again. Don't tell me how Japanese have weaker teeth. Bathe them in sugar all day, and yes, you'll have bad teeth. Double WTF!
• OK I know that Japan is a Buddhist / Shinto country, and I'm an Atheist. But labels in clothes should be at the back. I'm too old to be caught with my pants back to front. Yes, "It is against god" I tell you. If I have to pee (and I will) and find that the aperture is yet again facing south, someone is going postal. WTF!                  

It's an hour's drive from Kunisaki to the heart of Beppu. We like going, especially on weekends, because it is so rewarding, and on a number of levels. Kunisaki is essentially a country town surrounded by wooded wilderness. Beppu, on the other hand, is a traditional holiday destination famous for its Onsen or Hot Springs. Not a big city in Japanese terms, but certainly big enough to have all those big city trappings. Maybe I'll make a list of what I find interesting.

• 温泉 (Onsen). And I really like ひょうたん (Hyotan) 
• Shopping! ゆめタウン (You Me town)
• Eateries galore, and even You Me town food court is jam packed with tasty food outlets.
• Now a University town! 立命館アジア太平洋大学 - Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University or simply APU.
• The glitter of the main drag - if you have a car, then you have to drive the coastal route and the main stretch through Beppu - both in the day and at night.
• The African Safari
• Mount Takasaki (Monkeys!)

I'm not quite sure what surprised me most about this little adventure. For my 4 year old, an adventure it was. From a peaceful Japanese valley, to deepest darkest Africa! OK, that really is an exaggeration. But once we were staring into the eyes of the big どうぶつ (Dōbutsu, animals), it was another world. And for a jaded old fart (like me), that's saying something.

One other surprise was that us parents could go along on our child's Kindergarten excursion - with all the other children, their parents and お先生 (o-sensei or teacher *)! I don't recall this being possible in Wales, Malta or Australia - my list of places where I was either a child, or parent.

I have already gained a great sense of the community spirit that is here in countryside Japan. You've maybe shared, somewhat vicariously, in some of the events we've covered to date. But this does seem just a little special. To see my son interact with everybody as they were having such fun, told me a lot about his school and the people his young impressionable mind will now be permanently connected with. For daddy it seems priceless indeed!

As an outsider, and a new arrival, I seem to pick up a lot on what is 'unique' about this part of the world. In this case, not just rural Japan, but maybe a microcosm of what is so quintessentially Japanese!

Allow me to elaborate. Well we had to be up early, and out of the door by a certain time. As I drove, my dear wife seemed very concerned about our progress. "We're going to be late!!". I speed up. Short interlude. "Why are you speeding?" I slow back down. When we arrive at the school, I do start to get it. Yes, just a little of how the Japanese think.

Anyway, two coaches were at the front of the kindie. Lots of cars were being carefully parked. Little bladders were being, just as carefully, emptied. Lot's of ございます (gozaimasu) ringing in the air. The おはよう (ohayo) seems to be almost inaudible or is dropped by some 'good morning' greeters. It all happens at a quick pace and then we're suddenly on the coach.

As we drove off, my wife looked at the watch and proudly pointed out how we were departing 2 minutes before the allocated time. Yes, that's what the rush was all about. This is Japan and everything, nay everyone, goes like the proverbial clockwork.
  
One hour later we were at the African plains. An African Safari to be exact. Their site seems to be all Japanese, so for your benefit, it's the

In 1994, Japan's strict tax laws were relaxed allowing smaller breweries producing 60,000 litres (15,850 gal) per year. Before this change, breweries could not get a license without producing at least 2 million litres (528,000 gal) per year. As a result, a number of smaller breweries have been established throughout Japan. Although it is technically illegal to produce beverages containing more than 1% alcohol without a license, the law is rarely adhered to for homebrewers and homebrewing supplies are available from high street store Tokyu Hands and various websites.

In a country where booze is both cheap and of good quality, I don't really get home brew! I would probably be too lazy to 'buy in'. I suspect you have to have an adventurous palate and wish to recreate your own version of any one of the many amazing beers that are out there! Hmmm, OK, I do get it.

Well not specifically a Kunisaki story, but I do seem to drink a lot of beer, sake,... in Kunisaki so I think Food and Drink is a relevant topic. So it's 乾杯 (Kanpai or cheers) from Kunisaki!

Yesterday we took a drive to 大田 (Ōta), out of our village, over the mountains and into a new valley. Far, far away. Or 20 minutes by car.

An interesting Gaijin is based there and he'd invited us over for a cuppa. "Cuppa you say?". Oh yes, another expat Brit, who now calls the countryside of Japan his home.

I had heard that he had a Trekking company, and the tours actually included Kunisaki! Yes, our home turf.

As you may know, we had just helped to harvest a small rice crop, and this harvesting naturally coincides with producing the new season's お酒 (sake) or Japanese brewed rice wine.

Well I'm getting into the swing of celebrating, having liberally self infused 麦酒 (birru or beer) and some tasty but dangerous 35% 焼酎 (shōchū), the local Japanese firewater, possibly distilled from used monks' tunics. Do I sound harsh? Well combine the two, and you too can significantly disable essential motor neurons, as I did on the day of the rice harvest. Yes, it's all fun and games until someone loses an eye!

Well in Ota they take celebrating one step further. At the Shirahige Tahara Shinto shrine they have a whole festival to mark the occasion. And its all about celebrating the harvest, and that new sake. How decadent I say. And it was. Here is some news about it from last year's event (Oct 2010).


On an intellectual note, I believe records indicate this festival has been held at least since A.D. 710! So I felt quite privileged to be invited over for such a special occasion.

Anyway, screw the history, Wikipedia tells me that Doburoku is apparently the classic home-brew style of sake. Strange that home brewing is illegal in Japan, but these are holy people, after all. The concoction is created by simply adding 麹菌 (kōji-kin) mold to steamed rice and water and letting the mixture ferment! The resulting sake is somewhat like a chunkier version of nigorizake, so Wikipedia tells me!

Quick aside, to help you catch up, 濁り酒 (Nigorizake) is 'cloudy' sake. The white cloudy part settles into the bottom of the bottle. That caught my eye recently at a local store. Like in my first week here in Japan. Just shake then decant. Possibly the other way around. Nigorizake I say, very nice indeed.

Well be wary should you try this festival. The police wait at the road exits and check the driver. The Shrine staff also kindly warn you as they give out the doburoku. In Japanese of course. Just after you've tossed your coins and rung the ceremonial bell. Drink too much and you'll be tossing more than coins I tell you. And you know you've arrived in Shrine country the first time you do it. Ermmm, rung the bell not tossed your..., well you know what I mean. Paul, my host, explained the basics as I followed his lead. He also pointed out how the police give you free tissues after stopping you. How polite! To cry in no doubt if you fail the test. Seriously though, it's a 'no no' here - only a zero blood alcohol level is acceptable!



In Japan there is always the food. All around were food outlets, but Paul said there was a real Curry vendor around. The hook was out and I was caught, line and sinker. The nice lady told us she was from North India. Now I do like hot southern Indian curries after my stay in Bangalore, but a good curry (it's the spices that count) is always tasty, as was this one.


Oh, I know, how could I talk about Indian curries when at a culturally significant Japanese heritage site! Well get used to it, this is modern Japan, people came in some futuristic 660cc Kei car, have fancy Nikon cameras and eat curry. And maybe it's the mix of perfectly preserved local tradition and the best that is foreign, which makes Japan so unique. You really have to come! So keep your eye on this story, in case they decide to implement it, and you can come for free!

Tourism Ministry proposes to invite 10,000 foreign tourists to Japan, paying all travel expenses

I had meant to get this post done, and dusted, the day that I did the rice harvest. A very pleasant sunny Sunday, and the one just gone. However unforeseen alcohol consumption put me to bed by 7:00 p.m. Apparently my new friends, who got me into that state, had called the house again by 7:30 p.m., wanting me to continue drinking with them, as the night was obviously still young. Unlike myself.

Well I'm guessing that being 'the only gaijin in the village' made me something of a novelty. Plus, alcohol got me practicing my limited 日本語 (Nihongo, or Japanese language) as best I could. Certainly for the linguistic newbie that I most patently am.


Anyway, with regards harvesting, I'd seen rice before of course. Mostly on my plate, often under a curry. But this was new. This was the real McCoy and in situ. This was rice at the sharp end. In the morning it certainly would feel that way.

I had even less of an idea of what to do, when we arrived at this new patch, than I had on the sunflower harvest. In fact to be quite accurate, I had no idea whatsoever.

First we got the instructions. I think that's what they were. It was in Japanese of course and I understood some small percentage of it. Probably the initial greeting, I'm guessing, giving me some 0.01% comprehension of the situation.


Nonetheless, rice seems to grow in a clump. Handy really. A quick cut at the base with a sharp blade and  then a little string to tie it. About 1/4 the way up from the base.


It's easy to then separate the bunch in half. Down the long side (from the string) so that it can be sat on top of a large bamboo pole. Though I am guessing, I'd say to dry in the sun.


After we had a go, the real work was done by a handy machine. This is Japan after all. At some point a 蝮 or Mamushi got cut in half! Now I wasn't expecting such a venomous snake quite so close to peoples homes. Less so all the kids. But this is the countryside after all! And I suspect the snakes were just as venomous back in Australia, if not more so.

Well this community exercise had to end with a gathering. This time, a BBQ at a local community hall. Presently I can say that the rest is just a haze. I do know that Asahi 'Dry' caused some general numbness (in my head that sounds like numb nuts. And at the time...). A selection of flavoured, I think I recall 25%  焼酎 (Shōchū) later disabled my central nervous system. [Ed: I now stand corrected - 35%!]


And yes, that is Toshiyuki-san using an 'industrial blower' to get the charcoals burning. He is also good at convincing people, me to be precise, to have another beer.

Come back soon as I too return to 'fill in the gaps'.

 A strange start to the weekend, really. I knew we parents would help out with some sunflower harvesting which, I believe, the school had planted. Well I've never harvested. Anything, in fact. So I was up for it.

The story goes that someone had decided that sunflowers would absorb some of the radiation, in  Fukushima and affected areas. Here's a good explanation. So everywhere people had planted sunflowers to create the seeds to be sent over for planting. But apparently the effect is so negligible that the effort was maybe wasted.

Nonetheless, I arrived at the allocated field in my new ながぐつ (nagagutsu) or Wellies, ermmm, Wellington boots! Mini sheers in hand I learnt, by observation, that I should just cut the flower head off the stalk and chuck them into the nearest plastic container.

Well it was fun to work our way though the field, which we did quite quickly. Of course I was then told that there was another. A pleasant walk along the old river lead us to our second patch. Now that stream is so because of the Gyōnyū-damu  (yes, Gyonyu dam) which holds back much of the original water flow. Here's another nice google maps reference, which my wife apparently hates because of the childish attempt at rendering the dam name in hiragana.


"Yes dear" I says, and I do a little googling. Well when I search with 行入ダム I get these 2 wonderful links in Japanese [1] [2] from which I borrow this brilliant panorama.



Loading the tiny 660cc kei-car sized (possibly Suzuki) truck, mandatory kit for all farmers here, it was entertaining to see 校長 せんせい (kocho sensei - the school principal) ride atop the crates as they whisked off another load. My wife had taught me that the 'ko' was the one from gakkō (school) and the 'cho' from hanchō (section leader), the latter actually slipped into our own language - the 'head honcho'!

I had wondered whether the black snakes I had seen in the next field would make a showing, but the stomping feet, both parents and kids, was enough to send any such critters slithering hastily away. And here's a picture of what had been bothering me.


So, ignoring my snakey-phobia, we thought that maybe we'd get a cup of tea afterwards, but in fact we were invited back to a local business (a building company) owner's house, and were treated to a zillion pizzas done in his own outdoor pizza oven.

That was good enough, but in his back yard he had a farm, with a pen full of, well, ostriches! The day just seemed to get better by the minute! Being a good Japanese host he later brought out some lightly browned ostrich meat, and a handy dandy jar of toothpicks to serve oneself.

I must say I felt guilty eating this amazing bird, the relatives of whom were keeping our children entertained down the yard. They're a huge animal up close, but really quite gentle.




So there you have it, from sunflower harvesting to ostrich on a stick. Kunisaki is really just full of surprises!

Futago-san (Mount Futago) dominates the views whilst driving into our valley at Kunisaki. Looking at a map, we are based just about half way between the coast and the mountains, the latter at the centre of a great peninsula. I have just read that Futago-san stands at 720m. Thanks to Google maps I have this beautiful satellite image below, overlaid with some useful site names.


Now I have been wondering about the fantastic shape of the peninsula, and its geology, for a long time. Maybe why I chose our new banner image, which I can thankfully attribute to Earth Snapshot.

So what have I just discovered? The circular Kunisaki Peninsula is formed by large conical volcanoes, which includes Futago. It is a part of the Kuju volcanic cluster.

Twenty-eight ravines radiate outward from the peninsula’s center. Hmmm, so I guess I drive one of them - our valley! This image shows those ravines (thank you NASA).



My wife tells me that Futago means twin(s). And indeed Futago-san has a distinct twin peak. I'd noted the fantastic lava flows in the cliffs above Gyonyu dam (sitting near the top of our valley).

I feel so lucky to live in a place with such fantastic topograpical features! Ermmm, I mean I like the views :-)

There is far more to Japan than Tokyo and its skyscrapers. Much more. Kunisaki is a prime example of the other Japan. The one of peace and tranquility. There is still great attention to detail but also to living life to the full, the countryside way.

Living life well, to the full, just has to involve ones stomach. Japan, no matter where you are, is about food. Much the same way that France fills the role in Europe. Like France it has a big agricultural community. Kunisaki has a huge range of local produce, and the kind of country cooking that would make the French blush. I will be making blog posts in the near future to highlight my favourites both in our area and within easy driving distance.

I'm going to steal an old blog post I made in September 2008, entitled "Japan – not just technology!"
that I posted on my company site, as it still rings true.

I had been thinking about my last Japan trip en route to India. In seeing the massive development that is occurring in Bangalore – it is one big building site – I recalled being confronted with a comment about Japan to the effect that it was so crowded and, paraphrasing his stereotype, it is all “Tokyo”. I concede that a visit to Shibuya will be a little intense to the uninitiated, but lets head to some Japanese countryside.

I know that one can do little to dispel certain misconceptions, but I thought I would share some photos of the (Japanese) family home. To frame the picture, Kunisaki is in Oita prefecture (Kyushu) but still has all the advantages of Japanese products and services somewhat unlike my countryside experience in the UK (I bought my first house in Earby, near both Colne and Skipton in the north of England [Ed: surrounded by wild country moors and with a very low population]). Maybe the difference is that the population is around double that of the UK, though one could then counter this with its being a bigger country too. 


Even in the countryside the Japanese people can only be described as highly industrious, with a desire to get things, well, just right. The countryside is kept immaculate. 

Here are some pictures to dispel that Tokyo city ‘only’ image of Japan, and something calming for me amidst the urban explosion that is Bangalore, India.

Nice view out front

Pretty good out back too

Attention to detail!

And the kids love it

That was 2008, and it is as true now in 2011, as it has always been. So true in fact that we decided to come and live here. And you can't pay greater tribute to a place than that.

It's almost dinner time and I'm going to be in gastronomic heaven yet again. So from country Kunisaki, it's いただきます (itadakimasu). You'll hear that everywhere when people start to eat, much like the French 'bon appetit'! When it's this good, you really need to celebrate it.

Wikipedia says that 国東市, or Kunisaki-shi, is a city in Oita prefecture, Japan. 


We will be introducing, to other English speakers, what we know of and love about this special part of Japan. Ignore what Wikipedia says, this is truly the countryside of Japan, it's rural, and it is prime tourist / intrepid traveller territory.


The primary purpose of this site will be to stimulate interest in potential visitors, to provide guidance and of course, to share what we ourselves have discovered. We want you to enjoy it as much as we do. And yes, we live here, and the author is a gaijin (外人), or foreigner, probably just like you. I will ask all the same questions that you will, and hopefully clear a path for you to follow.


Every good blog should have lots of pictures, and this one will be no exception. As a taster, from a recent hike up a local mountain, we discovered on its ridge an old shrine. Near the shrine was a beautiful stone carved with the names of people who had contributed to its creation. On the side of this beautiful monolith was inscribed a date. March 1917 (Taishō 6). It's a true treasure, it's not on the map, and you are now the first to see.    




ようこそ to Kunisaki! 


The hiragana ようこそ, is pronounced Yokoso, and is the Japanese for Welcome!