Sometimes things that are lost in translation are really funny.
“Break a leg” vs. “Break your leg”.
Until next time, STAY AWESOME!
-R
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2017 Shan Shan Matsuri
What do you know about dancing with umbrellas?
Not as much as Tottori City in Tottori-ken, Japan. The Shan Shan Matsuri (鳥取しゃんしゃん祭) is Tottori’s biggest festival. Every year during Obon week, around 4,000 people line the streets dressed in summer festival clothes (usually Happi or Kimono) and do Kasa-odori, choreographed dances with umbrellas… for 3 hours! Continue reading
The Japanese Driving Test and the Japanese Mindset
Much has been said about the difficulty of Americans getting a Japanese drivers license. “They like to fail American drivers… especially the first three times.” is the most common complaint. Even though I don’t have a car, the option of being able to drive has prompted my husband and I into getting our own Japanese license. After all, who doesn’t like a road trip? So I started to read about the tricks for passing the drivers test on the first, or failing that, at least the second try.
Before you are allowed to take the driving skills test, first you must pass an interview. You must bring with you a copy of your drivers’ license translated into Japanese (http://www.jaf.or.jp/inter/translation/index_e.htm), a proof of address Continue reading
Riding to Onomichi, Part 1
So last week I had an adventure. It all started earlier this year when I decided I needed to do something big for the summer, but going to SE Asia was looking less and less likely. I started looking around the Chuugoku region of Japan for things to do, and Andrea suggested the ShimaNami Kaido, a 70km bike trail that goes across the Seto Sea from Hiroshima to Ehime.
That sounded fantastic, but I needed to up the ante. I know! Why not bike from Tottori all the way there! It’s only 200 km away! Easy peasy!
The above map is closer to the actual path I took. But my first day of the trip, I decided to make it a doozy and go from Tottori to Okayama City. Thats around 125 km, but I didn’t take the direct route so it was a little bit longer.
It was exhausting but I made it. The beauty of the mountain areas of Tottori (mainly between Tottori and Chizu) was a sight to behold.
I’ll write more about it over several posts, and I’ll even get some video up.
Until next time, STAY AWESOME!
Always Make Change
If you’ve ever been to Japan then you’ve noticed how many vending machines there are all over the place. And Tommy Lee Jones, keeping an eye on you. 
Until next time, STAY AWESOME!
-R
The Japanese Dryer
During rainy season you have to be very careful about when you set your clothes out, as most Japanese apartments expect you to dry your clothes outside on a drying bar on the patio.
Until next time, stay dry and AWESOME!
-R
“Class”y Puns
Corny jokes and lame puns are one of the pillars of our marriage. For both of us it makes it’s way into daily life.
I’ve started a part time job (several months ago actually) at a local university, helping with their English and cultural department. Every once in a while I have to give a presentation. Let’s just say that student facial expressions vary from not at all interested to less interested.
Until next time, STAY AWESOME!
-R
High Hopes
So over the past 6 months we’ve been anticipating the opening of a new set of stores close to us. I caught some of it on camera:
I apologize for the shaky camera
As you can guess from the comic, neither of us got our wishes for stores, but I guess it’s still nice to have options.
Until next time, STAY AWESOME
-R
Living on the Razor’s Edge
I was at the local Wellness (think Walgreens without the prescription counter, but with good prices) and saw a straight razor.
The disposable ones are not common in the US, and I the re-usable ones are super
Old Man Ganbaru
This is based on an actual… um… encounter(?) Andrea and I had in the store. I don’t know what the man was saying but he was insistent on “Ganbatte”. There really is no real translation for Ganbaru/Ganbatte, but roughly translated it means “Work Hard, Do your best, and never give up.
Until next time, STAY AWESOME!
-R
Tottori Awesome 