Rules, Rules, Rules

I had a chance yesterday to be a full time member for one day at my gym (Cospa--Comfortable sports place).Because I cheaped out, I am a 90 minute member. I need to clock in and clock out no more than 90 minutes later. But for some reason, they let us stay as long as we wanted to on Saturday. Normally I go to a yoga class and then leave. But it was Saturday, I'm done with work, and I decided to really savor the place--check it out. They have a 25-meter pool on the 5th floor, and seeing that it's hotter than the lid of hell right now, I thought I would indulge, not without some trepidation, mind you. It has come to my attention that Japan is a very rule-bound and also rule-abiding kind of place. Some of the rules are posted (in Japanese) and others you just sort of have to know. Needless to say, a) I can't read the rules, and b) I am clueless. So anyway, I brought my bathing suit and my towel and proceded bravely to the pool area. I immediately saw a sign that I was able to interpret, that is a towel with a red X through it. OK, I couldn't bring my towel into the pool. what to do with it? Whew! I turned a corner and there were cubbies to put the towels in. I reached the pool and saw to my dismay that everyone was wearing swimming caps. I don't have one. I went to the life guard, who (will wonders never cease) spoke English! He had a cap to give me. Wow! Things were going well. I had just come from the yoga class from hell (I missed the 75 minute morning class,so I decided to go to the wimpy 45 minute class--who knew it was taught by a sadist?) I got into the lane which is reserved for walking. Me and all the septagenarians strolled along in the water for a while. Then I decided to try swimming. I crossed into the next lane and did a lap or 2 of crawl. Oh oh, here comes the lifeguard. Seems you need to swim on the right--don't know why as they drive on the left. So I got out. My shoulder was hurting anyway. They have a big hot tub and 3 interesting individual tubs with these apparatuses like towel racks arranged in a sort of S shape. You lie on them in the water. Interesting. Then there are showers that are on all the time that are sort of like Water Pik shower heads on steroids. They really drill into you. Anyway, enough of the pool. I proceeded on to the bath part of my club. It's just like the onzens, which have their own set of rules. I watch the women there, and they know exactly how to wash every inch of their bodies using basins as well as shower sprays. It's quite impressive, and I don't have the knack yet. When you have cleaned yourself entirely, you sit your naked body into the hot pool. Then you splash water from the cold pool on yourself. Afterwards, I went into the next room to dress. There is a centrifugal machine like we have in my club to wring out your swim suit. I did that, and a little old lady asked me if I spoke Japanese. When I said a little she explained that the rule is to rinse the suit out in the sink before you put it in the centrifugal machine. I keep screwing up! One of the hardest things is to figure out where you can wear your shoes, and where it is strictly forbidden. My friend Jon joined a different club, and they made him buy new shoes that had never been worn outside. At least I didn't have to do that.Last week we went out to dinner with our summer session students. We all got the 'set' that included cake. All the pieces of cake are wrapped in cellophane in Japan. Call me weird, but I don't like cellophane with cake, so I took it off and put it next to the plate. All the students were most amused. You are supposed to unwrap the cake and keep it resting on the cellophane. Gosh I wish I knew the rules.

Boat Ride in Arashiyama

Spent last Saturday in a wooden boat negotiating rapids down a river near Kyoto. Actually, I was just seated comfortably in the boat while the boatsmen negotiated the rapids. It really reminded me how much I love being out in nature. We even saw a monkey on the river bank! It's been hot and sticky here, but there was a cool breeze going down the river. I went with my good friend Akiko and her Iranian student Mr. Safari. It was nice to have Akiko translating the humorous patter of the boatsmen, as I am usually without a clue. There was a French family in the boat with us (along with about 8 other people) and I enjoyed speaking French with the dad. It made me feel like less of a 3 year old as, unlike Japanese, I can actually speak French. There was an interesting linguistic dynamic going on with that family. The mother was English, the dad French, and they lived in Paris. (Like most Parisiens, they were on their 3 week August vacation). The mother spoke only English to the kids (late teens, early twenties) and the kids answered entirely in French. The only time the woman spoke French was to speak to her husband. They obviously completely understood one another, so everyone was happy.
After the boat ride, Akiko and I did some unsuccessful geocaching along the river bank, and then we were told about a Buddhist temple straight up the mountain from the river. It was really steep, but very worth it. When we got there, we rang the gong 3 times each, listening to its lovely sound reverberating through the mountains. Then we continued on to the temple, which was small and a bit shabby, but with a million dollar view over the river, mountains, and the city of Kyoto in the distance. There was tea, and we enjoyed the cool air and the view, sitting comfortably for about 45 minutes. Then back down the mountain to the heat and crowds of Arashiyama (a bit of a tourist location.) Another great day!

Fireworks and Kimonos

August is fireworks season in Japan, and I went to the Kobe fireworks with my tennis friend and her husband last night. Hisako had bought us tickets, so we sat in folding chairs out by the port. Really quite civilized. The custom here is that many young women wear yukatas, which are summer kimonos, to watch the fireworks, so the audience is almost as colorful as the show. We lucked out, as it had rained earlier in the day, and it started sprinkling after the show, but it was clear and not hot. The unbearable heat I have been promised has not yet really materialized due to a prolonged rainy season this year.
Yukatas are on sale everywhere now, and they are pretty reasonable--about $50 to $80 dollars. I was thinking about getting one, but my neighbors have made comments that many western women look like stuffed sausages in them, which has dampened my zeal. However, I want to tell what I have learned about kimonos. On January 20, there is a ceremony for everyone who turns 20 that year. It's a sort of coming-of-age party. The girls wear kimonos and the boys wear suits. They all go to their hometown and listen to a city official, see all their old junior high and high school friends, and then go out and party. Anyway, the big deal is for the young women to get a kimono for the affair. Many of my students are now getting their kimonos and then having the requisite photo shoot that goes with it. So, I ask, "how much did your kimono cost?" The answers range from $5,000 to $8,000! This includes all the purses, hair flowers, and other stuff that goes with it, but wow! The kimonos that young girls wear have a special kind of sleeve, so they can't even wear them after they get married or turn 30. Akiko,the Japanese woman I have dinner with every Tuesday, has a 20-year-old daughter who went through that ceremony last year. She was planning on wearing a family kimono to the ceremony, so no big deal. Unfortunately, her daughter is fat, and when she tried on the kimono, it didn't fit. It was the last minute, so they had to rent a kimono. No problem. It was only $2,500 for one night! I used to complain about renting the boys tuxes for prom!
Another interesting thing about kimonos is that they are difficult to put on. My student says she stands with her arms outstretched while her mother dresses her. Akiko tells me that if you don't have someone to help you, you go to the beauty salon to have them dress you, and probably your hair as well.