Harajuku Girls

Thanks to the Asian-loving pop star, Gwen Stefani, the term “Harajuku Girls” has become familiar to many around the western world. For those of you out there (such as my mom, for example) who don’t know who Gwen is or what Harajuku means, allow me to explain.

Harajuku is one of the ultra-cool districts of Tokyo. It’s perhaps most famous for being the hangout spot for some of Tokyo’s wilder citizens...and since it’s Japan that means they aren’t really that wild…but, boy howdy, they sure can dress neat!

Teenagers from all around come to Harajuku dressed in varying degrees of wildness. Some only wear frilly costumes and big platform shoes…others dye their hair and style it in spikey works of art…and the most extreme Harajuku kids complete their look with vibrant make-up and punky attitudes.

Basically, on a nice Sunday afternoon, one can walk around Harajuku and see lots of young people dressed up in colorful costumes. They do this possibly as a reaction against the uniformity of Japanese society…or perhaps they just enjoy a good costume day (I can relate!). During my recent trip to Tokyo, I made sure to stop by the area and take a few pictures of the Harajuku Girls (the boys I saw didn’t look like they wanted me to take their photo).

More to come about my trip to Tokyo!

Shark Friend, Valentine's Day

Just for you...

Slice of Japanese Life

I had a little disposable camera leftover from my Christmas trip and used it to take a few pictures of life here. Enjoy the dichotomy of Japan.

Series One: Usa Shrine

Stone Lantern and Ancient Tree

Prayers for the New Year

Lake Tree

Series Two: Karaoke!!

Jared and Steph singing a duet

Justin don't mess around at karaoke

Backstreet Collaboration

Second winter not as cold

As I was reading through my journal entries from last winter I realized that life this year is noticeable better than last year. A year ago I was complaining about my countryside experience, problems interacting with Japanese people, and the constant cold that grips you and makes you scream when you have to change clothes (especially underpants!). But this year, I love my town, my unique work life, and the cold isn’t so bad (but that part might be due to global warming).

I know I’ve said it before, but I just want to say it again to both reaffirm myself and encourage all the inaka JETs out there who might be suffering this winter…THE INAKA IS MAGICAL! EMBRACE IT!

I think of Ajimu as something akin to the elvish sanctuary of Rivendell in Lord of the Rings (stop the otaku jokes now). Tolkien writes about how life inside the ancient elvish land glows and moves in a way that is different from the rest of the world. There’s a sense of peace and ancient majesty in the air and those who dwell there are safe and blessed. That is the feeling I get when I walk around town…even when little kids bark at me in an attempt to imitate English, or when teenagers look at my grocery bags outside the store and ask, “What’s dinner? Panties?”, or when old ladies just stare and stare and stare at me when I politely bow and say “konnichiwa” on the sidewalk.

The other day I took a picture out my back window of the frost covered fields at dawn...and then another picture of the town at sun set. I think they capture the feelings I have about life here.

My time here is slowly coming to an end, and I hope to enjoy all the dawns and dusks (and pantie jokes) I have left.