Onsen trip

There is nothing like a school-organized outing to make you feel like a kindergartener, and apparently this is even more true in Japan. The school took us on the orientation trip with the freshmen. I cannot begin to imagine a school in the United States taking 1300+ students to a hotel for an overnight orientation. There were 12+ buses! I didn't care for the lining up-bedtime-organized part, but the onsen (hot spring spa/nice public bathhouse, in this case as part of a hotel) was lovely. I didn't really care much for introducing myself to the entire freshman class... it is a rather intimidating, but I am really becoming one with my introduction speech, since Japan seem MUCH bigger on the formal introductions that the US. I swear, I've introduced myself about 20 times formally, including three just today. At least I'm learning the other foreign students names... I'm so bad at remembering names that the repetition helps.

Anyway, I posted the link to the Asaya hotel's website already, but here are some (hopefully functional) slideshows of my own pictures. It really was a beautiful place. Taking a hot bath outside in the crisp spring air is an experience I recommend to everyone, even with the communal nudity.

The hotel itself: This includes some shots of the hall we ate in and the food they served. We got a chance to eat very traditional Japanese fare at both lunch and dinner. The presentation was beautiful. During dinner, they actually lit a stone burner at each place to cook thin slices of pork with mushrooms. It was impressive, and of course yours truly forgot her camera.

Some mugshots of the kind of riff-raff they let in to the hotel. Please note the expert camerawork in the last two slides. Be amazed at my ability to shoot Jason and myself in the mirror. I would label the other girls if I could write any of their names other than Sirida's.

There were several of these pictures around our floor. If you look closely, the landscapes are made entirely of dried and pressed flowers. If anyone has tips for taking better pictures of things behind glass, please let me know. They were really stunning pieces.

This display was in the lobby of the hotel. Every year Japan celebrates a Boy's day and a Girl's day. I am too lazy to look up the Wikipedia articles for you now, forgive me. Anyway, on both occasions, families set up tableaus for sons and daughters, with your typical 'boy's stuff' and 'girl's stuff'. The display below is fairly representative of the stereotypical Boy's Day table.

Below are some shots of the various adorable things I was tempted to buy in the gift shop, and some wider shots so that you can see what the gift shop looked like. Japan has a strong cultural tradition of gift-giving. When one goes on vacation, one brings small gifts, preferably somewhat representative of the destination of the trip, to important people at work, in the family, and to one's friends. It can be a vicious and costly cycle, since you must also buy 'omiyage' to anyone who has brought you an omiyage in the past. Anyway, the stacks and stacks of beautifully wrapped foods you can see in the pictures are probably marketed towards people shopping for these gifts. This is one occasion in which I feel lucky to be a stupid foreigner who can't be expected to know polite customs. I do buy omiyage for my landlords, however, since they are a very nice couple who speak no English, and I am continually ashamed of my inability to understand them. They do try to help me understand, and since they farm they also grow a small plot of veggies which they set out free for the tenants, the gifts make me feel a little less useless.

Questions are more than welcome. I'm rapidly establishing a habit of vomiting a whole bunch of pictures at you instead of explaining in detail, so comment asking anything else you want to know.

Next up (or last if you're reading this blog newest-oldest) will be vending machines!