Last Day in Tokyo

Today was my last day volunteering with New Start and also my last day in tokyo (for a while at least). I painted some Japanese wind chime things earlier:

And also worked in the cafe that new start has. We have a variety of drinks as well as curry - its a very relaxed cafe... In the morning I went shopping to get ingredients for the curry and we put it all together in the time between attending to customers. In the afternoon it was a bit slower.. we have a lot of time standing around as you can see from this video a friend of mine took:





My time at New Start has been really awesome. It's been crazy learning more about this organization and hikikomori by actually meeting and working alongside them. I feel like leaving just as I'm getting to get comfortable finding my way around!

Afterwards, I went downtown one last time tonight and met up with a friend of mine from UBC (my university in canada). We were about to go purikura but then saw this sign that said the area was blocked off to everyone except 'female and couples'.

Actually after seeing that sign we didn't want to go purikura anyways. Instead we went to a games centre and watched a horse race. Many people were betting on the winners but we just watched and it was fun enough for us.

... okay so maybe I got your guys hopes up with the horse race. We thought it was too funny how serious some of these guys were when they placed their bets though. There were 2 other horse race centres on the same floor.

Thinking about Hikikomori, I feel like a lot of the causation behind this issue has to do with the educational system and parenting that is shaped by society. While the easy answer would be to say that Japan needs to shift its thinking to be more like north america to alleviate the pressure and stress, I'm not sure that this would be best. I recently read a book called "do hard things" about how western society has set too low expectations for the youth growing up today and that youth have adapted to these expectations in a society with less of a regard for working hard. While its true that Japan has higher suicide and depression rates among youth, it's also true that the prevalency of crime and drug use is much lower. Todays question is what do you think about the differences between these two ways of thinking? What do you think needs to happen to help combat these issues? (again you don't need to talk about this to leave a comment.. its just to help you if you are having problems thinking about what to say so you can be entered into the draw =p )

And thats it for Tokyo (for now)! I'll be activating my Japan Rail pass tomorrow and going to Kyoto, where I'll meet up with Japanese and American students for our study tour to Hiroshima and Nagasaki (about 40 in all). I'm one of the 2 canadians on this trip so it's really special! Also its super super special because NHK world and Hiroshima will be doing a report on us, AND the american ambassador John Roos will be at the Hiroshima ceremony while UN secretary general Ban-Ki Moon will be at both the Hiroshima and Nagasaki ceremonies.

Also, next post will be the second drawing for the starbucks card (you can double your chances by commenting on this post as well as the last one!).

Thanks for reading guys! Below I have the answers to those of you who asked the hikikomori questions. Some of them were surprizingly hard so sorry if answers are sparse haha:

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@ TTYL (happiest memory/something they would like to do)

When I was talking with them about the happiest memory, a couple who answered talked about elementary school (so I'll answer that below) One hikikomori I talked with said that for something he wanted to do was to travel (actually specifically interested in Canada)

@ Rachel: (traits to describe self & outside world/where to travel)

Nobody I talked with could really clearly think of traits to describe themselves. I asked one hikikomori on his thoughts about Japan ('outside world' was a little hard for be to convey everything in japanese). He described it as "polite" and "industrious". Mentioned above, one really wanted to go to Canada. When I asked why, he said to learn english and to live there. I couldn't really understand much more than that of his reasoning. Another person I talked to really wanted to travel to Indonesia. when I asked why he said because he knew a couple people there and also there are many bugs (see more on this below).

@ taking photos: (what was elementary school like?)

One person I talked to said he remembers elemtary school as a happy time, because he had many friends. When I asked about his happiest memory, he said it was going on the class trips to temples and such. Another person said that his happiest memory was in elementary school during the breaks looking for bugs (I think this person is somewhat obsessed with bugs; he showed me his fan which was painted with blue cockroaches)

@ Matt (where do you see yourself in 5 years?)

This was a very diffucult question. The bug person thought for a short while then said he really had no idea (bug person is in the photo above, holding a wind chime next to me). I mentioned to him he should look into doing something with bugs. The interested-in-canada person said he sortof dreams that he would be in canada. When i asked doing what, he said maybe working for a travel agency. The people at New Start are at different stages of their withdraw-ness. Some people that I worked I honestly never heard their voice while others I talked with. My impression is that by the time someone is able to answer your question completely, they will no longer have a need to be at New Start.

Bakery & the US

So today I fufilled my life-long dream of working in a Japanese Bakery! I helped to bake many different kinds of bread and pastery like things before the bakery opened around 10. New Start owns this bakery as something that the hikikomori can get involved in with other volunteers. It's a little bit different from a typical japanese bakery as it opens a bit later and also has more room for.. creativity. Here is a picture of me opening the oven while another worker washes something:




I made these turtle breads! Aren't they cute??


I had probably waay too much fun working here...

In the afternoon, I returned to the place where I'm staying and left with the family I'm staying with to go to a bible study they help to lead every wednesday. It was a couple hours away and most of the people who attend are americans who live very close by.

Afterwards, I went onto American soil for dinner where I had Burger King (good thing I brought my passport! - they searched the car and everything as we left Japan). In case you were wondering, there are about 50 blotches of the USA dispersed all throughout Japan. These pieces of land, known as the US military installations in Japan or US Bases, have remained ever since shortly after the end of WWII. The USFJ (United States Forces Japan) HQ Yokota Air Base, which is about 136000 square metres and houses 14 000 personnel is where I had dinner today. It is the main base for airplane repairs and maintanence throughout Asia. To get on base you need to have a base sponsor (for obvious reasons I didn't want to upload a picture of my base pass) and US dollars are used as currency.

In high school, I would go on base often for cross country and track meets, where I met with on base schools for competitions. While some view the bases as an intusion of Japanese space, others think that it is necessary for Japanese safety. There has been a huge amount of media attention recently espescially about the Okinawa base (the PM of Japan Hatoyama was elected promising a closure to the Okinawa base- however after his inability to do so, he stepped down in June of this month, the 5th prime minister in 4 years)

My question for today is what do you guys think about the US presence in Japan? This may seem a bit random, but it has a lot to do with the rest of my trip in early August as I travel to Hiroshima and Nagasaki to learn more about the history of WWII.

Also today is the first post for the contest results! Today's winner is Bianca from Vancouver -- congratulations (you have been contacted regarding your prize)! To everyone else, comment below to participate in the draw 2 posts from now! (if you're interested in the drawing procedure, check out my post on the wall of the facebook event page)

Thanks to those of you who replied to my last post! I'll post any answers to the hikikomori questions next time!

Heya!

It's Tuesday night in Japan - today at New Start I volunteered at the main centre. We had some older people (here below) who I helped to take care of along with a couple of the hikikomori (for some reason it was really easy for me to get along with the older people.. quite friendly despite my limited english).

It's a challenge for me to relate to hikikomori as much as I probably would with typical students- maybe this is partially because they think I don't understand what they've been though or what it's like to be them (which I don't). Perhaps if I spoke better Japanese, I would tell them more about my intentions in volunteering... I don't think it would do very much though. For now I'll hope that they can see that I care as I debone fish, clean tables, and make stir fry the best I can. Perhaps the difference in language is a good thing as actions speak louder than words.




Heres a Video of me at lunch sitting with an Italian volunteer and other hikikomori.





I was at New Start until 5 today cooking, cleaning, and having tea with old ladies. After I went to Shibuya. Here's a picture taken in one of the busiest starbucks in the world of the Shibuya scramble crossing. Afterwards, went for dinner at a nice restaraunt (we left shortly after realizing how 'nice' --> expensive it really was) then to mcdonalds.



Purikura is very popular in Japan (abbriviated of purinto kurabu or print club). Users take pictures then edit them and receive electronic and paper versions of their photos:

These are a couple of the less edited photos... Features include adding everything from pen marks to clip arts to changing hair colour. Reflecting back on the day, I'm really excited to be spending time getting to know some hikikomori more and more. They are so interested when I give them little trinkets from Canada like a key chain or a pen -- even my drivers licence is interesting.

As for today's question, I'm interested to know... Does anyone have any questions they would like to ask a hikikomori? I'll read any comments tomorrow then take them with me the next day to New Start -- Then I'll post any answers I get 2 blogs from now! (if possible, something that could be asked using simple japanese)

Also next post I'll announce the winner of the first draw! Any comments on the post or the previous one each count for one chance!

First Day at New Start

Today was my first day at new start. I took 3 trains from higashi kurume to Gyotoku station, where New Start is (note to self: never take trains in tokyo during rush hour again - all boundries of personal space are lost in an effort to fit as many people on the train as possible).

At New Start, I began working with a few other people to make lunch for everybody. First off, we went to a local grocery store (you can see my little cart which I'm pushing on the left). Many things are more expensive and also often smaller than north american counterparts (a watermelon was 1200 yen).


We returned to the kitchen and prepared lunch.



Afterwards, I went to the cafe and met up with Robert (who was doing a shift there). Takeshi (I have changed his name here for pricavy reasons), one of the hikikomori, usually meets up with Robert on mondays to practice his english. But because I was here today and Takeshi was interested in travelling to Japan, he had a conversation with me instead.

Takeshi has a story not unlike many of the other hikikomori at New Start. Finishing high school, he didn't get a very good score on his university entrance exam (think SAT... only way more intense). So, he became one of the many ronin in Japan. Ronin is a term used to describe a samurai who lost their master (either because of death or disownment) during the feudal period of Japan. It has now come to be used as a term used to describe a graduate who has failed to enter school at the next level, and thus is studying alone for a year to pass the exam the following year. As the student has no school, they in a sense are like the feudal ronin who have no master to serve.

Takeshi was ronin for 4 years before finally giving up and having neither the energy nor the will to continue on with studies or anything else became full fledged hikikomori. His parents, not knowing what to do with him sent him to New Start. Takeshi looks like he will spend the rest of this year with New Start and then is interested in getting out of Japan. He actually wanted to travel to Vancouver, so I talked with him about Canada and Vancouver for an hour.

Afterwards, I met with Ayako and Robert and learned how to drink tea. (Video below)

Next, I visited the dormitory style residence where the hikikomori at New Start. It's very different than probably any typical residence in the sense that everyone here does their own thing and quietly doesn't interact with anyone. Thinking about Ayako's idea in relation to the experience of Takeshi, it makes sense to me that he ended up the way he did. What do you guys think of this 'single track' thinking that Ayako suggested defined much of the Japanese educational system? To what extent can it be blamed for hikikomori? Comments about the ronin in Japan?

(these questions are to help you guys if you are thinking about ways to comment... If you want, you can just say hi instead! This is the first post where comments count for the contest so best of luck!)

I'm at a family friends' place now in Kamihongo station, where I'll be for the next few days...

See you soon! (by see I mean like see you guys commenting =p )

Weekend in Higashi-Kurume

So I spend Saturday and Sunday night in Higashi kurume (where I used to live when I went to school in Japan in grade 9). On Saturday morning I said good-bye to my aunt and took a couple trains and a monorail to Tennozu isle, where I helped a friend of mine with her english class. We met in someone's apartment building where you can rent rooms:

I carried a backpack with everything I'll need for this trip around in it (quite heavy) as I took the JR Yamanote Train (the most central line in tokyo operated by Japan Rail that goes in a circle continuously and stops at all major hubs of tokyo) to Ikebukuro then the Seibu line to higashi kurume. The Seibu line is somewhat confusing because there are local, semi-express, commuters' semi-express, rapid, commuters' express, express, rapid express, and limited express...(all of which travel the same line and take different amounts of time because they stop at different stations).

After having dinner with my friend Aaron, we heard loud rumblings from the sky. Looking up, we saw some kind of electrical storm which we got some video of:

Lightning Storm

I went to KCC (Kurume Christ Church) on Sunday. Worship in Japanese was really awesome -- I was also reminded of what its like to attend a service not in your native language... I think about my church back at home with many Chinese people listening to the translation.

Afterwards did some shopping (its the one time of year when I actually buy clothes.. in japan). As you can see, a lot of other people in Harajuku had the same plan as me:

Tomorrow is my first day volunteering at New Start. It is also the first day of the contest so... any comments starting on my NEXT post will be entered for the draw! Best of luck!

Thanks also to the owners of the house which I have stayed in the last 2 nights!

(sorry I used the green towel. )

Friday in Tokyo

I woke up today at around 6 in the morning with a bit of a Jolt (quite literally) as the whole room shook back and forth. I later found out that it was all of Tokyo shook as there was a 5.0 magnitude earthquake just off the coast of Honshu, Japan (I was about 60 km from the hypocenter).

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http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1071030/1/.html

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Several continental and oceanic plates meet around Japan, resulting in frequent earthquakes (and the presence of many volcanoes and hot springs). Around 20% of the world’s most powerful earthquakes strike Japan – most earthquakes aren’t noticeable without equipment though.

Anyways, early start to my day – had my usual breakfast and dennys before taking a walk to Iidabashi station to buy my ticket and get on the train. (if you want, click below to see me buy a ticket and board a train..)

Arrived at Gyotoku station, where I walked 15 minutes to New Start for my orientation. I met up with Ayako Oguri, who I had made email contact with earlier. I took a tour of New Start and learned more about what this NPO does to help hikikomori (shut ins).

A dutch broadcasting company interviews people at new start:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gIx6hZweHc

New Start site (google translated from Japanese) :

http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=www.new-start-jp.org&sl=auto&tl=en

I visited the Café, Bakery, support centre, English classroom and kitchen where I will be spending most of my time next week volunteering. Afterwards, I spoke with Ayako about New Start and Hikikomori in general. We talked for a couple hours about the potential causes, steps the government is taking to address this issue, and the difference between western and eastern thinking in regards to the way society, parents, culture, and educational system shape the youth of today.

Robert from Italy who was working in the café at the time also joined in our bilingual conversation – he believes that the primarily it’s the parents who allow hikikomori to live their lifestyle. Ayako believes that the parents are more the victims, and that society has shaped peoples thinking in an unhealthy way.

She drew a picture of a common way of Japanese thinking – where there is one line from junior high to high school to university to work. Youth are so tracked into the idea of ‘success’ and moving along this track that there is no room for deviation.

Pressure to make the grade and fit the expectation is too much and so many people simply drop out – New Start is an NPO for people like this. Ayako said that one thing that is emphasized in New Start is that this way of thinking isn’t the only way – she hopes for hikikomori to realize this, which is partially why New Start likes international students (who are outside the pressure and norms of Japanese society) volunteering alongside hikikomori.

It was a pretty awesome conversation, where the three of us compared and contrasted Asian, European, and North American views of different ideas in broken English and Japanese. Afterwards I had lunch at the kitchen with everyone else who was there then took the train back to suidobashi, where I met with my aunt and uncle.

For dinner I ate with my aunt and cousin (seen below) in the hotel.

Theres also a place in the hotel where people get married. Its like a chapel on a floating platform right on top of the hotel lobby.

Anyways sorry this post is a bit long! Hope you all are doing well!

Sydney

Arrived in Japan!

As I looked out the window from the "friendly airport limousuine" (It's actually just a bus) that travels between Narita airport and downtown Tokyo, I realized how much I missed Japan. Maybe its the very japanese 7/11's that sell bento boxes and onigiri (1577 branches in Tokyo) or the box-like cars that drive on the left side of the road - or the subways that simply and convieniently stop everywhere you need to go:

I'm staying right now with my aunt at the Tokyo Dome Hotel, where outside the window I have a view of the Tokyo Dome baseball stadium surrounded by tall buildings. Theres also a ferris wheel with a roller coaster going through the centre (before you ask, this was very necessary).

I had dinner with my cousins and also saw my uncle. I'll be visiting friends and family for the next few days before starting my volunteer work in Chiba on Monday. Tomorrow morning I have orientation at New Start -- the place I will be volunteering next week. New Start is an NPO that helps hikikomori (shut-ins) reengage themselves with society.

I've been eating a lot at Denny's (also under the same ownership as 7/11, called 7 & I-holdings) which has a very bizzare mix of eastern and western cooking. For example here is a breakfast with rice, miso soup, natto (fermented soy beans), seaweed, bacon, and egg served with a coffee.

Anyways thanks for checking out my blog! In case you weren't aware, I'm doing a sort of contest starting on July 26th for commenters of the blog (you won't be entered for posts here.. but feel free to comment anyways haha!). I'm really new to this blogging thing so any advice would also be appreceated!