Ryukyu Star - Summer 2013

the

ryukyu star Editor

Kathryn Strong

Visual Editor Jd Banks

Prefectural Advisors Grant Minagawa Elizabeth Reuter

Published by

Okinawa Prefectural Government

Contact us at

ryukyustar@ajet.net

summer 2 13 1-2 Editors’ Notes Kathryn Strong Jd Banks

3-4 Contributors 5 Notes from the Kencho Grant Minagawa Elizabeth Reuter

6 Places for Support 7-8 The Sound of Silence MaryAnn Talavera

9-10 Long Distance Ben Martin

11-12 Ryuuka Adrian H.

13 Where in the World is Rekio the Lion?

Grant Minagawa

14 New Uses for Old Things Jd Banks

15-16 What a CIR Does Elizabeth Reuter

17-20 Deegu and Bungaya Tom Becskehazy

21-22 My Sanshin Story ReBekha Smith

23-24 Restaurent Review: Chintao Shokudo Tom Becskehazy

25-26 Announcements

editors' n tes editorkathryn strong Story Contest, Speech Contest, Sports Day, Going-away Party (x2), Welcome Party (x2), Town Festival, Neighborhood Festival, Regional Festivals, summer camps, summer vacations, demonstration classes, presentation preparation, writing my editor’s note…every day it seems like my to-do list grows longer. It’s a good thing summer in Okinawa lasts forever: I’ve got plenty to keep me busy. Maybe that’s what makes summer so great here. While we don’t get the extravagant summer breaks we may have grown up accustomed too, this season brings a definite change of routine, and although our schedules are crammed with events, the extended daylight hours means we still have ample time to enjoy all the beauty that summer in Okinawa brings—when there isn’t a typhoon of course.

This issue starts on a somber note, discussing issues of domestic abuse. The Notes from the Kencho provide a list of resources if you find yourself in an abusive situation or suspect that someone else is being abused. This issue is expanded upon by MaryAnn, who addresses it from a personal angle. I encourage everyone to read these articles and keep the information provided in an easily accessible location.

This is a season of transition. We have to say goodbye to many of our friends, while simultaneously welcoming new JETs onto the island. For the newcomer who arrives at their predecessor’s apartment and finds herself thinking, “How could anyone live like this?” Jd offers some fantastic advice on repurposing. I know I’ll be trying out some of her suggestions on some of the stuff in my junk drawer.

Summer is the season where Okinawan culture is most visible. Eisa performances seem to occur on every street; festivals happen most weekends. ReBekha tells the story of how she started studying sanshin, and encourages everyone to get involved in their community—a must read for island newcomers. Adrian sheds light on a little-known part of Okinawan culture, the ryuuka, our own style of poetry, and invites everyone to try their hand at writing their own. You can find my own first attempt below! In the story “Deegu and Bungaya” Tom shares his own contribution to traditional Ryukyu folklore. Look for part two in the fall issue!

On the topic of festivals, Ben shares details of a trip to mainland, reminding us all that with the longest school break coming up, it’s the perfect time for off-island exploration. I know I’m planning to travel!

Of course, just because we get to relax a little, doesn’t mean that we aren’t still busy working.

Have you ever wondered what CIRs do? Liz, our PA, shares a glimpse into her day, not only showing us how she spends her time, but also providing an example of how to have fun at work, even when there aren’t any classes or students.

In closing, I want to thank everyone who was involved in making this issue happen: our contributors, the always encouraging PAs, our loyal readers, and of course, Jd, my co-editor, whose amazing work I am constantly awed by.

I hope you enjoy this issue of the Ryukyu Star!

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visual editor

ryuuka

Summers in Okinawa are long, hot, humid, muggy… pretty much any word you can find in the thesaurus that matches, “being roasted alive”. I think it’s ironic that this issue—the summer issue—has few references to Okinawa’s lengthy heat.

Why does the town build a new school, And not install エアコン? 汗かな？雨かな？ I just want a shower.

jd banks

To the newcomers, there are things about Okinawan summers you’ll discover quickly.

1. Sunblock and sunscreen will be your new best friends, preferably SPF 50 and higher. It’s also expensive in Japan (800 yen for a 2ml bottle?!), so buy it elsewhere.

2. Jeans will be your worst enemy. It’s too hot to wear them during the summer (from June to November).

They’ll only see the light in the winter time. You can sell them at Manga Souko or any other recycle shop on the island.

3. Linen, dry-fit polyester, and light cotton clothes will be your new lovers. They’ll be sure to treat you kindly under humid, sticky weather.

4. Leather, suede, and pleather will be your pain-inthe-butt exes. If you plan on wearing such things in the summer time, may Mother Nature have mercy on your skin.

5. Moisture will get into your apartment or house.

Be sure to air out your bathroom and futons, and keep moisture boxes (available at Daiso, Cainz, or Meikumen) in your shoe boxes, closets, and other closed spaces.

-kathryn The light travels far 毎日, It stings the eyes shut 毎日, And the skin withers 毎日, Why, 沖縄, why?

-jd

On a lighter note, this issue’s theme, The Longest Summer, and Katie’s fine description of the cover’s feeling inspired me to pick up my watercolor pencils and hand-draw the cover. I usually work with ink sketches, scan them, and color them in Illustrator.

This time, I used a brown colored pencil, sketched out the five figures in the scene, and colored in the scene with watercolors. When the paper dried, I went over the lines with a brown ink pen. The final part of the process: transferring the image to my computer and putting a filter over it in Illustrator.

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Contributors grant minagawa Grant once wrote the "Secret Adventures of Rekio the Lion" a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away.

When not serving time in the building nicknamed "the Deathstar", he enjoys taking pictures and traveling with his little wooden padawan.

elizabeth reuter Elizabeth Reuter has prepared for summer by honing her incredible ability to find a fan anywhere and hog all its cooling glory. She loves writing and Okinawa, and is thus considering making her second novel about Okinawa. And giant monsters. A book always needs giant monsters.

ben martin Benjamin Martin is author of the YA novel Samurai Awakening and runs the blog http:// morethingsjapanese.com. He lives on Kumejima.

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maryann talavera MaryAnn is a fifth year JET working at Chinen High School. She is an aspiring filmmaker and a spa enthusiast

rebekha smith ReBekha is a fourth-year JET working at Koyo High School and living amongst the sugar cane of the southern inaka. Loving Okinawa culture, photographs, food, and friends, she plans to cherish her final months on the island by embracing them and discovering a few more.

tom becskehazy Tom B. is a first year JET from Arizona, although he's been living in Okinawa since January, 2009.

He loves scuba diving, hiking, and drinking beer on the beach. Or on a boat. Or pretty much anywhere, really. You can find him at Shuri HS doing bingata between classes.

adrian h.

Adrian H. is a sleep-deprived bear from Chicago going into their 3rd year on JET. They are trying to learn too many languages at once, but don't tell them so.

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notes from the ken

cho

from grant minagawa and elizabeth reuter Happy Summer, OkiJETs. Normally at this time of year, the PA page will be about those of you getting ready to return home, giving you tips. These boil down to: get in contact with your home, so you don’t feel too lost upon return; familiarize yourself with the pension system and settle who your proxy will be; say your goodbyes properly; get rid of the crap you’ve got piling up in corners of your apartment. All solid bits of advice, worthy of their own column. If you have any questions, or need any help, don’t hesitate to contact me about them.

However, I’m not going to expand upon them this time. There is something else I feel the need to address.

Though it doesn’t happen often, I do get the occasional call from an ALT who has seen evidence of child abuse being perpetrated against one of his or her students. Obviously, anyone with a conscience in that situation wonders what to do, how to help.

There are about seven dozen JET ALTs on this island, and though you’re sick of hearing this, Every Situation Is Different. I can’t give generalized advice about whether you can/should talk to your supervisor, or the school principal, or the child herself. You know that better than I do.

However, in the interest of giving you all the resources possible, I wanted to introduce two organizations to you. God willing you’ll never need them, please keep these numbers and websites anyway. They are, as far as I know, Japanese only, so you may need to enlist a friend or co-worker if you call them.

First is the Child Safety Net Association（チャイルド・セーフティネット協会）, a private, nationwide organization. Their webpage is http://www.child-safetynet.jp/ and they run a toll-free hotline at 0800-123-8600.

Locally, the Okinawan government offers a hotline as well, though it’s not free. 098-8662900. They also offer a list of physical locations, and more local phone numbers, for various areas of Okinawa here: http://www.pref.okinawa.jp/site/fukushi/shonenjido/9264. html.

If you have found other resources, please let me and/or the community know about them.

To keep this sort of horror from continuing on, we can use all the help we can get.

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places for support Ryukyu University Hospital 098-895-3331 207 Uehara, Nishihara-cho, 903-0215 www.hosp.u-ryukyu.ac.jp Nanbu Tokusyukai Hospital 098-998-3221 171-1 Aza Hokama, Yaese-cho, Shimajiri-gun, 901-0493 www.nantoku.org/index.html Nishihara Heartlife Medical Center 098-895-3255 208 Iju, Nakagusuku-son, Nakagumi-gun, 901-2492 www.heartlife.or.jp Adventist Medical Center 098-946-2844 868 Kouchi, Nishihara-cho, 903-0201 www.amc.gr.jp/english/ Urasoe Rokuto Orthopedic Clinic 098-878-6911 2-46-12 Makiminato, Urasoe, 901-2131 www.rokuto.com Tokyo English Life Line (Mental Health) 03-5213-1728 www.telljp.com Yamamoto Clinic (Mental Health) 098-879-3303 2-30-7 Iso, Urasoe City, 901-2132 1st Floor, Oazo Building www.yamamotoclinic.org *These places are for reference. The Ryukyu Star does not specifically endorse these places.

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the sound of silence maryann talavera After a tense Halloween, a couple argues in the car on the way home. The girl gets out and walks home in the rain. The boy drives on toward their apartment. When she walks in the door, the argument worsens until the boy takes an umbrella and raises it as if he is going to strike. The girl blocks the umbrella with her arm and, shocked at this gesture, she grabs the phone and threatens to call the police or her supervisor if he doesn’t leave the apartment. The boy then makes a choice that will change everything. In order to pry the phone from her hand, the boy decides to pull back her finger. He does so with such force that he breaks the bone, and screaming, the girl drops the phone.

I wish that story were fiction, and I wish I hadn’t been that girl.

Five years on JET. I can’t believe it. As much as I would like to focus this Ryukyu Star (or YAK, as it was called when I first arrived in Okinawa) article on my amazing school, JTEs, friends, or life changing adventures from my time here, instead I want to talk about something that unfortunately colored a significant portion of my JET experience: domestic violence. It’s an uncomfortable topic.

We sometimes view our lives as participants in the JET Program as a magical time outside of “real life.” But real life isn’t on hold in JET, and real world problems still affect us. This article is an attempt to work through my own personal struggles while hopefully inspiring others who face similar problems to get the support they need. The point is not to demonize anyone or spread gossip. It is to illustrate that for JETs with family or significant others, those relationships can be a great source of comfort and support, but they can also cause heartbreak and stress.

Growing up, my image of domestic violence was something highly influenced by TV and movies.

While I know that the stereotype that only women are victims is wrong, the popular image is of a scary, controlling, psychotic man terrorizing a defenseless woman. And as an educated, independent, and somewhat adventurous woman, I was certain I would never allow myself to be put in that situation. First, I was smarter than that, and sec-

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ond, I wouldn’t ever get involved with “that type” of man. But encountering violence isn’t a choice the victim makes and nothing in my life had prepared me to deal with the betrayal and emotional distress wreaked by domestic violence, or DV as it is referred to in Japan.

The image of DV in my head was more like Sleeping with the Enemy, where Julia Robert’s husband beats her for the tiniest things like not having the bath towels lined up perfectly. She ends up having to fake her own death to get away. My actual experience was not like the stereotypical image of domestic violence. In fact, I never really felt afraid of my boyfriend. It was more that, as this essential bond of trust was broken by violence, I began to understand that things could change from good to bad in a second. While a lot of the time things were normal,” living with the knowlege that it could change so easily made having a trusting, honest partnership impossible.”

Due to the violence and the stress associated with it, I became somewhat of a southern Okinawa hospital expert. If you want English assistance, your best bet is Adventist Medical Center, but remember that it closes for the Sabbath and there are often really long waits. Ryudai’s hospital is large and more comprehensive. While there may not be an English speaker available, they are pretty efficient and it’s where I met my surgeon and rehabili (physical therapy) physician. If you have any kind of broken bone or muscle injury, Urasoe’s Rokuto is the place to go.

They seem to specialize in sports-related injuries, and I have always met with doctors who speak at least some English. Nishihara’s Heartlife Medical Center has a person on staff in charge of working as a translator when there is a patient who speaks mainly English. She lived and worked in the States and is very friendly. If you need late night medical help, the Nanbu Tokusyukai Hospital is the place to go, but expect a long wait in their emergency room.

The most difficult part of dealing with these issues while on JET was feeling like I couldn’t talk to anyone about it. The silence is destructive. Being in a relationship sometimes people stop treating you like an individual, and more like part of pair. I felt like I couldn’t confide in most people here because they were friends with my boyfriend too. One of the

few times I did open up to someone I noticed the relationship got awkward, which further made me retreat inward. In the land of 本音 honne and 建前 tatemae it can be tough to find people who are willing to talk about deeper issues than which izakaya to drink at or Golden Week travel plans.

Our OkiJET community is a blessing, however, as with any small community it can turn into a rumor mill pretty quickly. Even outside the JET community it feels as though everyone on Okinawa knows each other. This fact, compounded with the shame and embarrassment I felt, only added to my isolation.

I became very anti-social. Social situations were draining, as I felt I had to put on an act and pretend everything was ok.

Having to miss work due to surgery and physical therapy only made matters worse. When I told my school that I would miss a class due to surgery a particularly prickly JTE exclaimed in frustration, “Why didn’t you just get hurt on the weekend?” Like most JETs the decision to re-contract or not weighed on me. However, the additional stress associated with my relationship problems, and the issues those problems raised at work, made each year’s decision nearly impossible. I would pendulate between what I knew I needed to do—go home and heal— and what I wanted to do—have the JET experience I dreamt of when I was living in New York.

For some reason separating from my boyfriend while on JET seemed impossible. So much of my JET experience had been colored by the fact that I was in a relationship; I couldn’t really envision my reality on Okinawa without him because, despite the heartache, he was my link to home.

If I were to give my past self-advice I would say not to re-contract. It’s not a realization that is easy to admit, especially since my last two years have been so wonderful. I don’t want to leave now but trying to force the experience I had envisioned on a toxic reality caused a lot of damage and at that time I really needed my support system back home.

Conversely I’m happy to be a fifth year JET, and I love Chinen High School; it was my reason for remaining on JET for so long. However, the cognitive dissonance created by the conflicting juxtaposition between the love of my job and the toxicity of my relationship isn’t something I would wish on anyone.

My body understood that more than my mind did.

When I would go on a trip, the stomachaches that plagued me in Okinawa would vanish. One time on my way back to Okinawa, an eye twitch developed out of nowhere. Changing placements helped eliminate an enormous amount of stress, but getting out of that relationship was the major change I needed.

My mother once told me that human adaptability can sometimes be a bad thing: we can get so used to living in a difficult situation that it is only once we leave it that we realize how unhappy we were.

Listen to your body. Look honestly at how you feel most of the time. Cultural misunderstandings, language barriers, and distance from home can take a toll. It is also important to examine whether you are experiencing more than just the natural ups and downs of expat life.

Now that I live on my own, I feel like I’m getting my life back. The saying, “Mejor sola que mal acompañada”—“better alone than in bad company”— rings true. I’m still in contact with my ex, but I see more than ever why we are better off apart. I still have the pins that were inserted into my finger, not as a reminder of the violence but as a memento of the people who helped put me back together again.

I’m grateful for those who were supportive of me during a difficult situation. I would like to thank my friends, family, doctors, students, and coworkers for helping me get back to whom I really am. I am also grateful to Loren and the capoeira crew for giving me something to feel proud of. It is much more than a hobby; it’s a challenge that has pushed me to regain so much lost confidence and energy.

Now that I am in a better place I have been taking advantage of the many opportunities on JET and accomplishing many of my personal goals like climbing Fuji, getting scuba certified, and dancing more. Like the noisy cicadas waking us up with their song, my time underground is over and I can live!

For those struggling while in Japan there are resources available. The JET Line is run by Program Coordinators and is anonymous. The number is 035774-0112 and the hours are 9:00am – 5:45pm. TELL (Tokyo English Life Line) is for foreigners in Japan.

They are available for free telephone counseling from 9:00am – 11:00pm. The number is 03-52131728. I’m not a therapist but if anyone ever needs a shoulder to cry on, a hug, or just someone to listen to, I’m here. No matter what the issue please remember that you are not alone. イチャリバチョ ーデでっしょね．Muito obrigada and Axé 皆さん！

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long

distance review and photos by ben martin One of the great things about Japan is the diverse local culture. Japan’s long and isolated history has led to one of the most unique and recognizable non-western cultures in the world.

The same geological and technological limitations that contributed to the country’s isolation also led to the many differences in language, beliefs, and culture throughout the country. While modernization has eliminated many of the gaps, I’ve found it easier to enjoy and understand these differences after my five years in Okinawa.

Recently, I had the opportunity to travel to Miyagi Prefecture for the first time. Like much of northern Honshu, Miyagi, and particularly the city of Sendai, was hit by the 2011 tsunami. The differences between small-island Okinawa and the plains and mountains of Miyagi were instantly obvious. From Sendai airport, the ground stretches away in all directions. Mostly farmland, the flat basin is nearly devoid of buildings.

I was astounded by the open spaces I hadn’t experienced since living in the United States.

In Okinawa, space is at a premium; many areas are highly urbanized. Where there are fields,

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they are usually in smaller pockets hidden among urban settings. The few areas of low-lying land are taken up by tall sugar cane. Often, the horizon is the ocean. The rice fields of Miyagi stretch away to the distant mountains. Beyond these flat expanses, the geography shifts again, climbing quickly into valleys and forested mountains. Everywhere was rustic and green, the road snaking past hidden villages that reminded me a lot of my hometown, Sedona, Arizona.

We stayed in Zao-machi, a small country town with a long distance connection to Kumejima nearly 10 years old. Every year a local Eisa group travels to the To-gatta area for the two day Daido-ge Festival. This year, I tagged along.

Kumejima is the spring training site of the Rakuten Golden Eagles, who are based in Sendai. A group came from the town one year to watch spring training and struck up a friendship with Kumejima locals. They soon found they had a lot in common despite the differences in culture and the distance; the Sendai shop owners invited the Tunnaha Daiko group to perform at the festival the next year.

Daido-ge is a street festival along a road in To-gatta. Four different stages line the road, showcasing performers ranging from acrobats to jugglers, singers to flame breathers. The festival brings in tourists, which helps the town, and the performers make money from the crowd.

There was also plenty of food around, much of it very different from typical Okinawan festival fare. Miyagi Prefecture is known for its beef tongue (gyu ton) dishes, but I found another local specialty right across the street from the onsen. Konyaku is a root based starch without much taste or a lot of nutrients, but it is a cheap way to fill the belly. It’s usually served in other dishes as a kind of filler. In To-gatta area, they served konyaku balls that had marinated in a sauce of dashi, roots, and other ingredients to give it a golden color and hearty taste. These tabakon were served on skewers and were popular throughout the festival (they were 100 yen for a stick of 3).

Where Okinawa has shisa, Zao Town is known for kokeshi. The wooden dolls have thin, rounded bodies and larger heads. They are said to

have originated from Zao Town’s local onsen and then spread to other parts of Japan. While they don’t have the same protector function as shisa do, the craft and selling traditions are similar.

Everyone I met while in Miyagi was warm and welcoming despite the fact I was only there as a photographer. I was welcomed to all the post-festival events. The locals were as warm and curious as any I’ve met in Okinawa. I would have loved to stay longer, seen more of the surrounding areas, and explored the famous sights. However, it was also interesting to spend two days on one stretch of street!

If you have the chance, take a long distance trip with some local friends. Not only will it widen your horizons, but it might give you a new perspective on Okinawa as well.

Find more at morethingsjapanese.com

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ryuuka adrian h.

One of the most well known elements of Japanese culture is the haiku (俳句). Most likely at some point in the past, you've been introduced to this type of poem: a syllable structure of 5-7-5 with key words indicating different seasons showcasing small, subtle phenomena. Matsuo Basho is considered to be one of the masters of this craft with scores of poems attributed to his name. There is also a longer format of Japanese traditional poetry called a tanka (短歌), or sometimes a waka (和歌), which has a syllable structure of 5-7-5-7-7.

But did you know that there is also an Okinawan style of poetry called the Ryuukyuuka (琉球歌), or ryuuka (琉歌)?

I first came across them while studying kanji in the teachers' room one Thursday afternoon. I had managed to botch one stroke, yet again.

In frustration, I set my pencil down and started staring at the school calendar. There was an event for the next day called a ryuuka taikai ( 琉歌大会). The principal walked in and I asked him if he could tell me more about the next day's tournament. Suddenly alight with excitement, he disappeared into his office and came back carrying a large book with a faded cover in one arm, and a sanshin in the other.

He told me how ryuuka were Okinawan poems, written to accompany the sanshin. The syllable structure is 8-8-8-6 with 30 sounds altogether. He also implied that the ryuuka might have been around long before the waka and that a tradesman travelling between Okinawa and mainland Japan was the first to write such a poem, but I can't find any written source to prove his theory. Kocho-sensei was more than happy to play the sanshin and sing some of his favorite ryuuka for me.

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I asked the librarian at the local library if she might be able to help me find some books about ryuuka. Using the interlibrary loan system, a few weeks later, she handed me My Favorite Okinawan Poems by Buntaro Taira.

Taira's first collection, published in 1955, was called My Fifty Favorite Okinawan Songs. The updated version was published in 1969 with 27 additional poems. Both of these dates were during the American occupation of Okinawa, which makes the fact that they include English translations interesting. Within his notes, Taira recommends "Ryukyu no minyo (The Folksongs of the Ryukyus)" by Kikuko Konai in order to find the accompanying music for these poem-songs. It should be noted that Taira did not write all these poems; he assembled the collection mostly from ryuuka poets, such as Un-na Nabii, Yushiya Chiruu, and many people who seem to be writing under aliases (Prince Mutubu, Princess Shotoku, where is all this sudden royalty coming from?).

Most ryuuka seem to be love songs, though a few are centered on interactions with nature or idle musings. Many Okinawans study ryuuka while in high school and university. Maybe some of your co-workers have their own favorites!

Here are a few poems taken from Taira's collection. The original pronunciation in romaji as well as an English translation is provided.

The romaji readings help give a peak into the similarities and differences between Uchinaguchi and Japanese. Someday I'd like to go to a ryuuka taikai and hear similar works performed with sanshin. But for now, I'll just have to imagine what they would sound like.

明日からぬ明後日 Acha ka ra nu asati 里が番上り Satu ga ban-nubui たきならす雨の Tachi narasu ami nu 降らなやすが Hurana ya si ga Two days more after tomorrow Up to town you go for duty May torrents of rain fall for days And keep you here more days!

-Un-na Nabii Nami Nu Kwin Tumari Waves be still!

Kaji Nu Kwin Tumari Wind be silent!

Shui Tin Ga Nashi The King of Shuri comesMiun Chi Ugama We must honor him.

-Onna Nabe Uramu Fija Bashi Ya Hateful Hija Bridge!

Wan Watasa Tumuti A heartless person Nasaki Nen Fitu Nu Built you here Kakiti Uchara So that I may go across.

-Yoshiya Chiru

我胴やちょんわどの Wadu ya chon wadu nu 儘ならぬ世界に Mama naran shike ni 彼ようらめゆる Ari yu urami yu ru よしのあるい Yushi nu arui In a world full of obstacles, One cannot steer his course at will.

Why should I think ill of others, When they fail to suit me?

-Prince Mutubu 何がすどく里や Nuga si duku satu ya 恋に義理立てる Kui ni jiri ta ti ru 高さある木垣 Takasa aru kikachi 露やふらね Tsiyu ya hu ra ni Why are you so custom-bound in love, So conscious of rank and station?

Ev'n the tops of the highest hedge The morning dews visit.

-Princess Shotoku

With all this in mind, I thought it might be nice to propose an OkiJET ryuuka call for submissions! Using the 8-8-8-6 syllable format, in English, Japanese, Uchinaguchi (if you’re lucky enough to be able to!), or some crazy mix of them all, let's make some poetry! Themes of love or nature are popular, but you can really write about whatever floats your boat. Anonymity is acceptable, of course, but creative pen names are encouraged. Send submissions to ryukyustar@ajet.net. The submissions will be published in the next issue of the Ryukyu Star. Can't wait to see what everyone comes up with!

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where in the world is

rekio the lion? grant minagawa

Rekio the Lion is a sneaky little Shisa Ninja from Hong Kong. This time, the little lion is stuck in a place that celebrates Christmas in the summer! After narrowly escaping eucalyptus eaters and outback hoppers (not to mention Vegemite), he finds himself in this famous harbor.

Where is he now?

Turn to page 26 for the answer!

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new uses for old things jd banks With the hikes in the exchange rate and the expense of living in Japan, some of us find it hard to shave our daily costs. One way to save money and be eco-friendly is to turn some of the old things you have and re-purpose them for a longer life.

Bags Every time you buy something at the grocery store, you’re bound to end up with many plastic bags. Don’t just throw them out! For small bags, you can use them as kitchen bags to throw away scraps of food. For the big bags (in case you forget your my-baggu), you can use them as garbage bags. Even nice paper bags from department stores can be re-purposed for carrying large teaching materials. Smaller paper bags are good for returning a book you borrowed from a Japanese teacher.

Tissue Boxes When all the tissues are gone, don’t just chuck the empty box into the trash! The small plastic bags from the grocery store need a storage home, and empty tissue boxes are perfect. Just roll up the plastic bags and stick them into the box.

Omiyage boxes and tins During English department meetings or excursions to other places, teachers often bring omiyage. These obligatory gifts come in pretty boxes or tins with high re-purposing potential. You can use it to hold stationary, snacks, markers, extra toiletries, and socks.

Just make sure to ask before you take it, as many schools reuse these tins as well.

Q-tip jars These clear, plastic jars can hold loose rubber bands, buttons, hair ties, Band-Aids, paper clips, binder clips, and change.

Toilet paper rolls If you have a lot of un-used extension cords and cables, empty toilet paper rolls are inexpensive tools in keeping these oversized strings in order. These rolls can also keep extra panty hose and hand towels in order.

Clothes If you have old clothes that have no chance of being bought at Manga Souko (profuse armpit stains, chocolate stains, blood stains), cutting them up and sewing them into drawstring bags will save you a trip and give you something useful. If you’re really crafty, you can make your old clothes into new clothes, hair clip decorations, or earrings.

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what a cir does elizabeth reuter 8:30 A.M.: Work begins. Get coffee, boot up computer, and check e-mails.

the picture I’m working on, scanning it into my computer for later editing, and get to work.

9:00 A.M.: While I’m fresh, I decide to do some work on drawings for a school visit next week.

During visits, the four CIRs in my office give presentations, usually 20 to 40 minutes, about our native cultures normally to elementary school students.

Unfortunately, I can’t find the colored pencils I know I saw last week. A-san, a lovely and generous woman who helps me with everything, looks up as I ask her if she’s seen colored pencils. Next thing I know, A-san is on her feet and rifling through drawers with me.

11:00 A.M.: I’m almost done with the first translation, an e-mail to a Californian Okinawa Association, when English-to-Japanese translator T-san asks me to check a translation she’s done for an upcoming international concert our division is putting together.

We go over it. I’m about to get back to work when the Ken PA calls, saying he’d like to arrange some things for Okinawa’s upcoming SDC. Because none of the translations I’m working on are due today, I go to his office.

Me: No, A-san, it’s okay, I was just asking…

A: G-san, have you seen colored pencils?

Elizabeth-san says she thinks we have colored pencils around here.

G: Hmm? No, but they’d be in this drawer here if they’re anywhere.

G-san and A-san begin rifling through cabinets.

G: Can’t see ‘em. Hey! H-san! Have you seen colored pencils? Elizabeth-san needs colored pencils.

H-san, the office stoic, looks up and quiets the office with her deadly seriousness, like always.

H: No, but you know...

Then H-san is up and looking for colored pencils too.

By the end of the search nearly two-thirds of the office is tossing boxes at each other and digging through cabinets and throwing together every vaguely colored pen they can find at the bottom of their drawers. Sometimes I love my co-workers beyond all possible description.

10:00 A.M.: Translation requests have come in one after another until four are waiting for me. I finish

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12:00 P.M.: Lunch! The office lights go off and the TV comes on, showing the daily news report. The mayor of Osaka’s comments about comfort women start me, G-san, and T-san talking about what it’s going to look like to the international community if he isn’t censured for saying such awful things. My Kacho requests that I find articles in the English-speaking media about this mayor, and I write a reminder before going to buy lunch. When I get back, the TV is off and most of the office is, just like every lunch hour, asleep; G-san across from me has buried his head in the hotdog-shaped pillow he keeps atop the mountain of paperwork beside his computer. I eat quietly, reading the novel I keep in my desk.

1:00 P.M.: Too groggy from my own nap to translate yet, I look up the English-language articles Kacho wants to see, send T-san the translation I finished just before lunch for proofreading (three to go!), and open my e-mail again. There’s a new translation request from Okinawa IT Shinryo Park. In order to boost business in Okinawa, provide local jobs, and aid the economy, the government is opening a “park” where businesses can work with low overheads and gain rewards for employing locals.

1:30 P.M.: Half-a-dozen kairan, or circulating documents, land on my desk. One thick folder of international magazines, one reminder of a big event coming up next month (my contribution to this might be anything from translations to helping move fur-

An example of daily routine at the Prefectural Office’s Exchange Promotion Division. niture), one invitation to a company nomikai, one warning from the department Bucho that he expects government workers to act with a “certain amount of dignity even when not working,” one collection of newspaper articles relevant to our section. I’m looking through them when I realize a cockroach is crawling over my desk. I throw myself back, squealing, “Gokiburi!” H-san grabs her stuff and backs away from her desk with deadly seriousness. Behind us, someone laughs. “Ah, he’s just saying hello.” G-san and Chinese CIR B-san descend on my desk with tissues, but the roach escapes somewhere into the mess of wires under everyone’s desks. I walk to the common table and read kairan for half an hour with my feet up until G-san and B-san have looked everywhere and conclude the disgusting plague-carrier is gone. Meanwhile, my Shukan teases me about making such a big deal over such a “little” cockroach. I tell him he can have fun with the little bastards on his own desk then!

2:00 P.M.: The four office CIR, our supervisor, and a representative from the international foundation JICA meet to discuss our school visit next week, which will be to Okinawa University, rather than one of the usual elementary schools. Korean CIR J-san and Peruvian CIR A-san have presented at colleges before, while Chinese CIR B-san and I have not, so J-san and A-san tell us about their experiences.

3:00 P.M.: When I get back to my desk, co-translator T-san has finished checking my first translation.

We tighten it up, and I print a clean copy to turn in to my supervisor, who will give it to the client.

3:30 P.M.: I research ideas for next week’s visit to Okinawa University and make a rough outline of things I’d like to present. I decide to discuss how Japanese and Americans tend to view each other and structure a short lecture, a longer activity, and a short game to finish up the lesson. Then, back to translating.

4:30 P.M.: My brain is fried so I take a break, remembering the funny video I’d wanted to show T-san and G-san called “How Animals Eat Their Food” I saw on YouTube last night. For the next ten minutes the crowd around my desk grows steadily until half the office is watching a man imitate a cow on my laptop screen. Co-worker S-san enters the room.

Me: S-san, look at this!

S-san: What is it?

Me: An animal video!

S-san: Er, no thanks.

He hurries back to his desk, head averted. Later, when I ask if I annoyed him, S-san tells me he assumed it was a video of animal slaughter. I blink and ask him why I, a ten-year vegetarian who freaks out seeing homeless puppies, would ever laugh at a video of animal slaughter. “I know,” he admits, “I thought it was really weird.”

5:00 P.M.: I finish the second translation and send it to T-san to correct when she gets in tomorrow.

Work ends in 15 minutes, and I’m too tired to translate anything else, so I check my e-mail again and find a message from my supervisor. Tomorrow, the Vice-governor would like to meet the CIRs. Cool.

I’ve read interviews with the guy, and he seems really interesting, scholarly and unusually outspoken.

I also find a message from an ALT asking me about taxes. I decide to answer tomorrow when my brain is working again, but look up tax procedures during my last few minutes, so I can write back first thing tomorrow.

5:15 P.M.: The bell rings, signaling the end of the workday. None of the official government workers move, but all contract workers and CIRs stand up, stretching and grabbing bags, getting ready to go home. Once I shut down my computer and stack my work atop it so I’ll see it first thing tomorrow, I join them.

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deegu and

bungaya tom becskehazy

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T

here once was a red-haired orphan girl named Deegu who lived in the village of Ichuman and suffered from terrible flatulence.

Her fellow villagers shunned her because she often smelled like rotten tofu, moldy fruit, and days-old fish, but they were also wary of anyone with red hair. Crimson-haired kijimuna lived in the gajumaru trees just outside the village, and everyone knew they were never to be trusted.

People whispered that perhaps her real father was a kijimuna. After all, the man claiming to be her father had been a hapless fisherman who stumbled into the ocean drunk one morning, never to return. His hair had been as black as a rotten tooth.

So, too, was the hair of her mother, and she certainly could not comment on Deegu’s parentage. Soon after Deegu’s birth she was bitten by a habu and died before the poison could be sucked from the wound.

Wanting to avoid a life of misery, one day ten-year-old Deegu strode outside during a savage thunderstorm, determined to let the wind snatch her up and deliver her to her rightful place in Nirai Kanai.

Several villagers later claimed to have seen a bolt of lightning, on a direct path to striking Deegu, suddenly turn right and fly out to sea after she passed a “highpitched, cabbage-scented PFFFFFFFFT!” Deegu tried everything to put an end to it. She ate only fish for a week, but that simply caused her to break wind that erupted into green flame. She then spent several weeks attempting sundry gastronomic cures, but they all came with unfortunate side effects: eating nothing but seaweed (eye-burning yellowish fog), goya (invisible, incredibly potent gas that caused violent retching), and beni-imo (corrosive purple mist).

By her twentieth birthday she had moved to a small cave on the outskirts of the village. She kept to herself, moving out of her cave only to fish, harvest vegetables, and fetch water.

One day, when Deegu was washing her hair in a spring deep within the forest, a kijimuna spied her through the trees and immediately fell in love with her. He had never seen a human with red hair before, and he jumped down from his perch intent on proposing marriage.

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However, at that moment Deegu farted, and it smelled of overripe bananas and curdled milk. As anybody with half a brain knows, kijimuna hate the sound and smell of passed gas. * Her spell over him broken, he leapt back onto his gajumaru and spent the rest of the day pouting and weaving baskets from sea grass.

A week later he saw Deegu again, and again she released a toxic blast of air, but this time he wore a wreath sewn of cosmos and azalea petals dipped in seawater and scented with pine needles. The wreath kept the stench at bay (though the kijimuna did feel his eyes burning somewhat).

Unfazed, he approached Deegu and introduced himself.

“Hello, my name is Bungaya. You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen.

What is your name?”

“I’m Deegu,” she replied, “But you are a kijimuna. How can you stand to be near me?”

“I wove a wreath of flower petals and pine. It protects against all but the most evil of odors.”

He paused for a moment and then added, “Will you be my wife?”

Deegu gave him her best defiant stare and squeaked out something smelling of burnt hair, but he did not look away. Intrigued, she said, “I will consider your proposal for three days and three nights.”

“Why so long, my red-haired beauty?”

Deegu thought for a bit, and then said, “If you can cure me of my odorous affliction then I will marry you. You have three days and three nights to think of a cure.”

After three days and nights Bungaya came to Deegu and said…

TO BE CONTINUED… * They also hate octopuses.

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drawings by tom becskehazy

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My Sanshin Story reBekha smith

(left) Red coat with Sanshin by fotoShisa Photography, (above) Sanshin by by ReBekha Smith.

In my four years here on Okinawa, the best experiences I've had usually occur because I said "Yes!" when I really, really wanted to say "No!" (and run screaming). One such experience, and possibly the most memorable of them all, has been learning to play sanshin.

Last September I was at a local festival when an older gentleman called my friend over and asked her some questions about me. He turned out to be a sanshin teacher who holds weekly classes near by, and for some reason when he saw the strange foreign girl hanging out in yukata and eating too much yakitori, he said, "I want to teach her."

At first, I hesitated. I don't consider myself a musician, my Japanese was not where it should be, and my schedule was already pretty busy, but then I thought, "What do I have to lose?" So I said, "Yes." One week later, it was time to meet for our first class. I did a quick online search to learn some fundamentals, but I ended up confused and even more terrified than before. I strongly considered giving up on the whole endeavor before I even started, but at the last minute I forced myself out the door. Soon I was sitting in a little trailer

with Tobaru Sensei, ten oji-san, a strange instrument, and some completely confusing music.

As I looked down at the lines of kanji that were supposed to represent notes and strained to understand what everyone was saying, my only thought was, "Get out. Run. This is too hard." But I stuck with it, and with a lot of patience (mostly on Tobaru Sensei's part), a little bit of cheating, and a ton of practicing, I was able to learn my first song. After a month, I performed at a local festival, and by the time this article is published, I'll have taken my beginner sanshin certification test. More important than any performance or certificate, though, are the great experiences I've had and the confidence I've gained from trying something way out of my comfort zone.

As I prepare to leave this August, I look back on these four wonderful years, and am so thankful that I've embraced some really weird, and often terrifying, experiences, and so my parting advice to all of you, no matter how long you've been here or how long you're staying, is to say, "Yes!" Take advantage of your time here and of Okinawa's unique opportunities, no matter how many hesitations you have!

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restaurant review by tom becskehazy Some of you may have heard of the Japanese manzai (stand-up comedy) duo とん ねるず (Tonneruzu).

They’ve been around for a good long while, and a few years ago started doing a segment on their program calledきたなシュ ラン (kitanashuran).

Quick Japanese lesson!

Kitanashuran, like so many Japanese loanwords, is made up of two parts. The first part, kitana, comes from 汚い (きたない kitanai) meaning “dirty.” The second part, shuran, comes fromミシュラン (mishuran, the katakana version of “Michelin”).

So, kitanashuran is a televised Michelin Guide to dirty restaurants serving delicious food.

Chintao Shokudo

(青島食堂)

Naturally, the folks at Michelin weren’t too happy with their name being used to promote “low class” dining, so Tonneruzu changed the segment name to Kitanataurant, and all was well with the world.

In 2010 Tonneruzu came to Okinawa and visited a dirty (but delicious!) 水餃子 (suigyoza means “boiled dumplings”) Taiwanese place called Chintao Shokudo.

Located in Makishi, just off Kokusai-dori, Chintao truly earns its placement in the kitanashuran pantheon.

Location: 沖縄県那覇市牧志3-9-9 Phone Number: 098-868-6090 [月～土] Monday – Saturday, but take that with a grain of salt 営業時間: 18:00～24:00 Again, grain of salt 定休日日曜日 Closed on Sundays Credit cards: Ha! Reservations: Ha! Parking: Good luck!

From the outside, Chintao looks like it’s been closed for years. Its yellow sign is cracked and peeling. A geriatric, typhoon-battered food stall sits in front of its single, papered-over window. At night a solitary light burns above the entrance. In the years before a friend finally took me inside I’d walk by it and think, “I wonder when they’re gonna tear this place down.”

Inside, books are crammed into every nook and cranny. Magazines are heaped atop the

counter, providing limited seating space in an already cramped establishment. You have to hunt for the menu, as it seems to hide itself deep within the piles of magazines.*

TLDR Menu Highlights:

The owner is a man who believes in one thing and one thing only: making amazing #$%&ing dumplings. His suigyoza are a study in attention to detail. Their skin is tender and firm, with a nice consistent thickness that provides a sensuous thrill with each bite.

担仔麺 (tantsumen, Taiwanese-style ramen, ￥300).

suigyoza (boiled dumplings) 10 pieces for ￥500 担担麺 (tantanmen, a spicy noodle dish, ￥300)

Sometimes dumplings are overcooked, leaving their filling a bit tough and chewy.

At Chintao, though, the owner has perfected his technique, boiling the dumplings just enough to leave the savory pork filling juicy and soft.

He blends his own dipping sauce as well.

Its tangy sweetness pairs well with the dumplings – washing this down with a cold beer will bring you to a state known as the “dumpgasm.”

Wait a sec…

A quick word of warning! Don’t expect great customer service here. Actually, don’t expect any service at all. You’ll seat yourself (after finding the menu), call him over (if he’s paying attention), and place your order (during which he has a tendency to turn and walk away, as if you’re taking too long to say the words “sui gyoza”). He’ll more than likely forget at least one or two things from your order – I’ve waited fruitlessly for beer several times, a single tear making its way down my quivering cheek.

Also, you should definitely call before showing up, as he closes the place quite randomly.

But, damn it, the dumplings are absolutely worth it! * The last time I visited Chintao the owner did hand me a menu, so maybe he’s s-l-ow-l-y working on his customer service skills.

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announcements A Note from AJET Connect

The cultural section of the AJET Connect is looking for submissions.

This year the focus is on showcasing stories from all over Japan, in order to show the richness and diversity of the country. What prefecture demonstrates this better than Okinawa? If you have an idea for a cultural article, pitch it to him at connect.culture@ajet.net.

Ryuuka Reminder

Don’t forget to send in your original ryuuka to ryukyustar@ajet.net!

(See page 11-12 if you don’t know what those are). The format is 8-8-8-6 syllables of any language you prefer.

Next Theme: Movement

Fall is the season for moving around. The new JETs are just arriving on island. The crisp cool breezes and blue skies beg you to go outside. School Sports Days necessitate lacing up your tennis shoes, even for those of us who’d be happier at a café with a good book.

It’s the season to turn off the air conditioning and open the windows, for making new friends and going new places. Are you going anywhere this season? What are you going to do? How are you making the most of what (at least in my opinion) is the best time of the year in Okinawa?

Call for Contributors

Want to get more involved in the OkiJET community? Have something you want to share? Become a contributor! The Ryukyu Star is currently accepting submissions for the fall issue, themed Movement. The deadline will be September 6th, 2013. All formats—articles, poems, reviews, recipes, videos, photos, illustrations, etc.—are welcome! Email all contributions to ryukyustar@ajet.net.

Contact us

Comments? Questions? Your feedback is always welcome. Feel free to contact us at ryukyustar@ajet.net.

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Calendar

July 11 – KenJET Re appointment C eremony/ Returner’s Cere mony 15 – Marine D ay (海の日) 20 – OkiJET Fa rewell Party 27-31 – Tokyo Orientation: G roup A August 1 – Group A Ke nJET Orientatio n 3-7 Tokyo Orie ntation: Group B 8 – Group B Ke nJET Orientatio n 15 – New JET O rientation 20-23 – Tokyo Orientation: G roup C September 16 – Respect fo r the Aged Day (敬老の日) 23 – Autumnal Equinox (秋分 の日)

is Rekio d rl o W e th in re e h W the Lion? Answer se, Sydney Opera Hou NSW, Australia

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