Undoukai (sports day)

Monday was another national holiday. This time it was for a festival of movement. The children did have school but not in the regular sense. The morning was dedicated to activities and performances for them and their families.

According to an article in the Japan Times this holiday was established during the Meiji Era when schools switched to a European education system. During a visit to Japan, Adm. A.L. Douglas of Britain’s Royal Navy proposed the sports day whereby participants could compete in various races. It was accepted as part of military training and the first session saw 230 Navy students do pole vault, a three-legged race, a blindfolded race, a race where buckets of water must be carried on athletes' heads, and a pig-chasing race. Then it spread among colleges, and junior schools to the elementary schools. In the beginning these events were held in a nearby field or shrine but in 1904 the government ordered elementary schools to set up gymnastics fields so they began to host undokai on their own.

Corporations also host undokai and they are now favoured as a way to improve communications among employees.

As for our childrens’ undokai, Tim and I arrived at the kindergarten sports grounds and concluded that we were not prepared for our morning. Everyone else was set up with their mats down holding their places, bags of necessities and sun umbrellas were already open. (It reminded me of the Vancouver Folk Festival). Tim and I were going to have to stand for the next three hours in the blazing sun.  We didn’t pack our picnic tarp, my fan, a bottle of water or sun protection. Talk about needing to improve communications. Luckily my friend Yasuyo loaned us a small tarp to sit on. Tim did get quite burnt and I kept sneaking up to where Lucas’ class was seated to ask him for a sip of water from his thermos.   

Looking around I could tell the school had put a lot of work into this day. The surrounding fences were decorated with all sorts of colourful cardboard creations including Lucas’ rocket. On the grounds sat adult- sized cardboard and wood trees, rabbits, a duck and a frog. The principal and the members of the Board were sitting under tents and a DJ was sending music through big speakers including a brief snippet of Frank Zappa’s ‘Peaches en Regalia’!?

All the kids paraded out. There were two classes of each; the 4 year olds, 5 yr. olds and three classes of 6 year olds. The parents had to join in on the field with the children for a morning prayer and stretches. Then the 4 year olds took their places at some pylons for their races. Four kids ran at a time and had to go across the field to hit one of the tambourines held by some of the older kids. This was so cute to watch and when it came time for Lucas to go he ran at great speed and really gave the tambourine a bang.

The next activity included one family member so Tim participated. Four nets on stands (similar to basket ball) were brought out and set up in the four corners of the playing field. Then quite a number of red, blue, white, and yellow bean bag balls were spread about. The music began and the adults began throwing the balls into the baskets. It was great fun to watch and to play as these balls were flying all over the place and everyone was laughing. The numbers for each team were tallied by the teachers throwing two at a time into the air as the Principal counted over the loudspeaker.  Tim’s team came in second. Then it was the children’s turn and the teachers made it a bit easier for them by lowering the baskets and walking around with each classes box decorated for the occasion.

Garbage collection came next. Eleanor’s year competed against each other to see which team could work together to haul tires, hard hats, mats, and other strange objects from a central pile back to their spot. I am proud to say that Eleanor’s group won in part because she spent so much of her time collecting small objects that gave them the highest number of tallied points.

The next game included a family member again and as Tim could understand the directions he went. The cardboard trees and animals were set about and Lucas and Tim had to gather things to feed (oranges, nuts etc.) into the mouths of the animals by following the musical sounds and acting the part for each. There was a lot of hopping going on. Eleanor’s class was helping so Eleanor was inside a rabbit holding it up and collecting the food.

Rope Pull or as we say Tug of War was next. The little kids went first and then Eleanor’s grade. In order to promote harmony the Principal had members of the Board come out and help the team that lost in a second round so that each side would win once and no one would be disappointed.

There was a break where all the kids left the area for snack and to freshen up or cool down, so the adults did the same. When they returned they all carried decorated shakers or flags and other things in their hands as props for a big performance.

This event was an amazingly choreographed performance. Eleanor danced with ribbons along with other girls to represent the butterflies, there was flag movement and boys and girls rocking out on cardboard guitars while others drummed. It was quite a spectacle. Again I was so proud of Eleanor as she danced beautifully and gracefully to Japanese music in front of the huge crowd. I got choked-up and had to hold back tears of happiness.

For the penultimate event Eleanor’s age group did their relay races. The oval course was well marked as the Vice-Principal was really on top of re-chalking the lines. (Tim got quite a kick out of his diligence of keeping a well marked course). The teams were sent out to prepare and they put on their coloured mesh tops. Eleanor’s colour was red and her team began well but fell behind the others. When Eleanor got the ring her team was way behind but she ran her fastest and passed one then the other to get her team caught up. People were cheering about how fast she was (“hayai, hayai”) and I did my typical ‘whooo hooo’ with arms in the air. I was so proud of her. A couple of other kids also stood out for their relatively quick pace so it was quite exciting to watch.

The last activity of the day was for families and children so Tim danced with Eleanor and I danced with Lucas in the Coconut Dance. What a hoot! The dance music was going and two teachers were leading us with directions over the microphone. I didn’t understand a thing but once we got going we followed along and had great fun. It was so nice to see so many adults out having such a good time with their children that I didn’t want that magic to end.  But it was really hot and tummies were growling. It was time to go home for a celebratory lunch.

A Kyoto Temple Tour

As I have mentioned before I have a friend here named Suki. She is just a wonderful woman and she has a five year old son, Xavier, who is Lucas’ best friend. Today she treated the kids and me to a drive into Kyoto as she had a pass for a world renowned UNESCO site.

We drove about an hour through tunnels and along highways to get into Kyoto. Once we navigated the city we arrived at Nanzenji Temple. The area was estate-sized with forest, a huge wooden entrance gate and several smaller ones and many smaller shrines and gardens within. The kids ran around a lot and Xavier received many looks as he was wearing a vampire cape. We hoped people knew that it was just the whim of a child and nothing disrespectful in a Buddhist temple site. We wandered through Tenjuan with its 14^th century style landscaping. Two central islands were in the two ponds and we all loved the stepping stones by the waterfall. There were carp in the pond and Suki gave the children a bit of bread to feed them (I didn’t comment although I don’t agree with that) and just as people were coming along Lucas threw in the whole piece so it was really noticeable what we had been up to. The carp had a little feeding frenzy and took the Zen right out of the place. 

Saihoji Temple, otherwise known as the Moss temple, is a UNESCO Heritage Site located on the west side of Kyoto. It began as a site of the villa of Prince Shotoku and then it became a temple ground by wish of Emperor Shomu. It was erected in the 800’s to enshrine three images representing the Amitabha Divinities (who are said to provide limitless light and life in Buddhism).  In the late 1400’s Muso Kokushi, a Zen priest and skilled landscape gardener reconstructed the garden and restored the temple.

The garden is two levels with the lower area’s paths and ponds forming the Chinese character for SHIN (heart) and the upper level contains six moss rocks. Supposedly there are 120 kinds of moss present.

We arrived just in time to join a large group of people who were inside a wooden building kneeling in front of tiny tables writing a Heart Sutra. I told Eleanor and Lucas to draw me a picture so they would keep quiet as I wrote. The monks and priest treated us to a spiritual chanting and drumming recital of this sutra. I felt it in my heart and was sent into a meditative state. When it was over I was still a little zoned out so I wasn’t aware of a monk in front of me until he jumped into the air in a moment of shock. I looked to see why and realized he had noticed Lucas’s drawings of cartoon characters. Oops! We finished up, delivered our wish at the altar, knelt for a prayer and carried on.

The moss garden was exquisite. It all looked so soft and velvety and the light was making wonderful shadows from the trees. I felt like curling up on the moss and having a nap. Then the sound of the joyful kids brought me back to the present. The boys were playing, as any child would in a shadowy forest, and Xavier fell onto the sacred moss. We reprimanded the boys a bit and a man behind us overheard. He and his wife approached us and he said that he understood as he wouldn’t have been interested in a temple garden when he was a four year old. I quietly replied that it was the mothers who were interested and in this day and age if a mother wanted to be out of the house having such wonderful experiences she had to visit places like this with her children in tow. Besides what is better for young children than being outside walking in a forest? His wife smiled.

Eleanor found what she called ‘necklaces’ on a rock and two trees. They were made of rope and had dangling tufts. We learned that they are considered very sacred when they are decorated that way. Eleanor suggested we do that for one of our trees back in Sackville when we got home. Then Lucas yelled out that he had to go pee so off he and I went as fast as his little legs could carry him uphill and around to the garden exit so he could use the toilet. I laughed as I realized there is something so Zen about children as they just ‘are’ without thinking about their actions. They are so pure and full of light. What magic it was to have them with us in the very spot that is meant to teach us adults to let go of our stuff.

Cooking Japanese Food

We are eating well when we go out. The Sushi and sashimi are so fresh and delicious they melt in our mouthes. The bowls of Udon and Soba noodles just hit the spot. I have tried Takoyaki or octopus balls which are an egg and flour mix with the octopus and devil’s tongue in the middle cooked in egg carton-like iron and eaten with sauce. They are really good. We have also had the best Gyoza (taken from a Chinese dumpling) I have ever had so far in my life.

As we cannot eat out all the time it is a good thing I brought a cookbook along with me or I would never have known what to do with all the items in the grocery stores.

The cookbook is called ‘The Japanese Kitchen’ by Hiroko Shimbo and it has been such a handy resource. The first part of the book is a reference guide to the Japanese names, uses of all the different foods and the history of vegetables, herbs, seaweeds and soy products in Japan. 

According to the book, most of the vegetables and fruits used in Japanese cooking were imported from other countries. Over time they were adapted to the soil and climate and to the tastes of Japanese people. Renkon or lotus root was introduced to Japan from India by way of China almost two thousand years ago. Sweet potatoes were introduced by Spanish conquistadores to the Philippines and to China before reaching Japan. The Japanese have improved the quality and the reddish purple outside contains a very sweet and creamy yellow inside when cooked. (stay tuned as I will be digging up a bunch of these from the kindergarten garden on Thurs.) Noodle dishes such as Ramen also were perfected from a Chinese dish.

As so much of the food is foreign this cookbook has really helped me obtain what I need on my shopping list when I ask for it in the stores. The book also covers implements such as different graters and techniques such as how to make a floral-cut carrot which Tim does with perfection.

The recipes are exciting to read and I have attempted to make several of them. However Japanese kitchens are basic. They don’t have ovens but they do have microwaves with an oven function.  I don’t like cooking with them though so I am not taking the time to figure it out. I have been learning to cook with a two-burner stovetop, a small grill drawer and a rice cooker. It is a challenge especially when it takes half the evening just to plan what gets cooked in what order so it will all be ready to serve at the same time.

I am sure these recipes would be a lot easier for those of us with our massive western kitchens having four burners and an oven at our disposal but women have cooked, as I am learning, in these little basic kitchens for many years without complaining. At least we haven’t heard about it if and when they did. It really is a trade off though as the Japanese women get ingredients we only dream of having.

So, I am persevering and have turned out some great tasting dinners.

A staple is Miso soup with various ingredients; shitake mushrooms, daikon (Japanese radish), little potatoes, carrots and wakame seaweed.

Our favourite vegetable dishes are Kinpira-gobo  (burdock and carrot stir fry with sesame) and Gomae (cooked spinach with sesame  dressing).

For Tim’s birthday I made the festive Sekihan- red bean rice. Azuki beans don’t need to be pre-soaked but they need to be boiled with several water changes one that you keep to add to the rice when you cook it with the beans. This was a delicious pink rice dish and Eleanor ate a lot of it. She even requested it be made into Onigiri (see below) for her lunch the next day.

Chikin-katsu is loved by all of us. These chicken cutlets require a special bread crumb called Panko to make them really crispy. They are served with tonkatsu sauce, shredded cabbage and rice.

Stir fries that include the delicious Gingko nut and grilled fish from salmon steaks to mackerel are also on our house menu as are Soba noodles in hot broth.

Three days a week I make lunch for the kids to take to school. Obento refers to a box of food items in little compartments. I have been making Onigiri as it is their favourite. These rice balls contain sesame and nori (seaweed) and Ella likes smoked salmon in the middle. For the first month I was using a small cup and my hands to form the balls.  This is messy and sticky even though I used salted warm water to try and keep the rice from sticking. Then Eleanor’s favourite cooking show for kids taught us how to drop the rice onto a sheet of saran wrap so it is less messy. Now the kids make their own balls and they love it. They also help make grilled cheese fingers, edamame (soy beans) and cucumber bits.

A popular dish in the fall is called Oden. There is a whole section of the supermarket dedicated to providing all the necessary ingredients. I didn’t recognize one type of food in the packages provided. (When I got home Tim told me they were all chikuwa- processed fish cake). My friend said I had to try making it for the family as it is a delicious warm soup. So she encouraged me to choose some packages and go for it.  I chose some pink, yellow and brown balls, some white stars, a few triangular fish cakes and kombu seaweed. At home I made the broth and the hard boiled eggs and added the rest. The Japanese seem to love experiencing textures in the food they eat. After not loving the bouncy texture of the Mochi (see Equinox blog) I wasn’t sure about the contents of the Oden. We tried it and the broth was good but the balls and stars had a bouncy texture that made it a bit like trying to chew rubber balls. That was too much for our western mouths to handle (except for Tim who is better trained). Oden was not to be had again.