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Tokyo Part III

July 28, 2007 Yet another sweltering day in Tokyo. They say Kyoto and Hiroshima will be worse, but I really don’t know how. That said, I am enjoying how moisturized my skin feels. The air just hangs so heavy it is difficult not to sweat at all times (except when there is air conditioning). Today, thank god, was a “casual” day. We performed our group “skits” – have I mentioned how much this feels like a summer camp at times? – and then an RT meeting before heading to the adjacent Yoyogi park to play capture the flag. The park itself was much larger than I expected, and full of all sorts of people drumming, playing casual sports, and exercising. Our “game” was fun, especially when I sprinted and saved our prisoners and we won the first round. The downside was 1) the cicadas that truly are ear piercing at times and 2) the invisible bugs that kept biting yet left good sized bug bites. After a much needed shower, we actually had a chance to leave the Olympic Center and explore Tokyo, which ...
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Tokyo

July 26, 2007 I made it to Japan! After a rather delightful airplane ride on Japan Airlines, which seems to be the Cadillac of them all. The plane was enormous, with two levels (of course the upper level was a first class lounge). The first class and business class areas looked so lovely and comfy, with foldout beds and tons of space. I was in the back, but I still had good room, an individual TV, and the nicest Japanese stewardesses! The 11 hour flight went by quite fast, and we were, surprisingly, served decent Japanese food. Once we landed in Tokyo, we breezed through immigration and customs and then loaded onto a bus toward the city (the Narita airport is about 60 km from the city center). My first impression leaving the airport is that it is beautiful. Lush, green everywhere. Although the cars drive on the opposite side of the road, there were very similar cars to those we have in the U.S. Lots of SUV’s even! We arrived at the Olympic training Center in Shibuya, where we are stayi...
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The Mountain Goddess, the Stonefish, and the Laughing Men

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On February 7 each year, local men in Owase, a small city in Mie prefecture sandwiched by mountains and ocean, perform an *interesting* ritual to ensure good weather and abundant crops in the year ahead. First, the men first carve giant phalluses and model farming tools from local cedar and bamboo. Second, they stuff their pockets with stonefish (okoze), an unsightly and highly venomous creature. Proceeding to a small  worship hall in a grove of cinnamon trees, they offer the wooden implements and sake to the mountain goddess while laughing boisterously and mocking the hideous fish. "BAHAAHAHAHAHAHA," the men roar. "This is no fish at all!" According to local lore, when the sea god and the mountain god competed to see who could collect more "fruits" in their respective realms, the sea god emerged victorious thanks to the help of stonefish. The losing mountain god, a jealous female deity who detests "real" women, must therefore be specially ...
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