Culture Festivals: Kita-chu

This past Sunday was the Kita Uonome JHS Culture festival. I almost didn't make this one because the original plan for me was not to attend and instead teach at Uonome for the day. However, I've learned that I have to be pro active when it comes to events that go on in my schools. I don't know how many school events I've missed just because I didn't know. These days I find myself asking what's going on for the week just in case there's something interesting I'd like to go to (aka fishing with the students). Another reason I wanted to go was that it gave me the next Monday off. So now I'm here Monday night reminiscing about yesterday's event.

I was told that a taxi would be sent for me. Having heard that line before and not getting a taxi in the morning, I went ahead and arranged my own travel plans. The great thing about arranging my own taxi is that the company I call recognize me and all I have to tell them is what time to where. Even though my Japanese has grown considerably, it's still broken by any standard. I think the taxi company only has three drivers, so I know the person who'll pick me up in the morning when I talk to them the night before.

The festival started at 9am, so I made sure I got there by 8:30. Learning from the Uonome JHS and elementary festivals, I anticipated some sort of surprise; perhaps performing a magic trick I've never heard of. At least I made myself presentable in the inevitable case of "you must do this in front of the crowd" bit.

To my expectations, there was something waiting for me. The music teacher walked by my desk and gave me a pamphlet and told me I was going to be singing with the PTA and teachers. Silly Japanese teacher, I was expecting you this time! However, when I looked through the pamphlet, I noticed one of the songs had no music and just looked like a poem with Kanji. I told her I couldn't read kanji. I was replied with a "ganbatte" and she teleported away before I had a chance to throw the pamphelt back at her. So I sat there with my Nintendo DS kanji dictionary furiously trying to decipher this crazy chicken scratch. Luckily, the school nurse came by to see what I was doing and translated them into their hiragana breakdown. Thank god the song had a lot of repeat. The second song wasn't so bad because there was music and the lyrics was in hiragana.

Introducing the festival

Around 8:55 I walked into the gym just in time for the opening ceremony. The Japanese have a thing for opening and closings of stuff, it's always an hour version of "Welcome to this Event". The windows were covered in black cloth and any doorway was draped with either a curtain or attempt of one. The walls were covered with artwork by the students from April. The back half of the gym had tables filled with more art like shodo, photography, and crafts.

After the Kocho sensei, Kyoto sensei, class president, etc, did their speeches, we kicked off the ceremony. The first act was a play using props and reflecting their shadows on a cloth screen. I don't know what the story was, something about a swan and a girl. Following the act, there were several dramas performed by the students. There was also a drama performed by the PTA. There were a couple teachers in that portrayed drunk farmers. All those nights of practice in the bars really paid off! I was convinced of their roles. Each class also sang a couple songs. I noticed that the students here can sing really well.

2nd years doing a play called "My Life"

PTA play

Japanese version of "You Got Served"


You thought I was joking?

Around noon, they had about an hour break for lunch. I spent my lunch with the 1st year and we had udon and onigiri. This time it homemade by on of the kid's parents. I've never had such great udon in my life! I thanked the mother who made it and had 2 helpings afterwards.
I finished a little early and had a chance to chit chat with some of the students and check out the crafts in the gym.

Breaking off for lunch

A few of my 3rd years and a first year high school student coming to visit during lunch.

Crafts made out of coins

Selling potatos grown from the school garden

After lunch we had our afternoon performances. The teacher songs were in the afternoon. When we were about to go, the music teacher came up to me and asked if I was ready. Resisting the urge to slap her, I said "I think so" and went up with the rest of the group. My english teacher came up to me and said "Don't worry, I didn't practice either". This was the thing I didn't need to hear, especially when I'm standing next to him and needed his support for my lack of not singing. Luckily, the music teacher and Maeda were standing next to me too. They have better singing voices than I could ever have. The song was conducted by the PE teacher who was in his Judo uniform and a cucumber as his baton. Don't ask me, it's Japan.

Surprisingly the songs weren't too fast and I was able to read the hiragana in sync with everyone else. For all I know, I could've been saying things like "I like to kill dogs" or something, but I didn't care. Just get through and look like I know what I'm doing. After the two songs, the teachers around me were amazed that I could read Japanese. They started saying that they were going to talk to me in faster Japanese because of my skill. Haha...no. I thought to myself as I forced a chuckle.

After the festival was over, the kids went straight into cleaning the gym. Another surprise came to me then. My english teacher tells me to organize the students and clear all the chairs and tables as the other teachers cleared the walls and put the lighting away. Great...I had about 20 students staring at me waiting for directions.

It wasn't so bad, I used my Engrishnese to get my point across and we got eveerything cleared out. Soon after we were finished I asked my Kyoto sensei when my taxi would come. I was told that they still had to call. I didn't want to take them away from their cleaning activities so I went ahead and called for myself. I left the school around 4pm.

I got ready for the after culture festival with a few teachers......but that's another story for another day. Until then!