Lazy Saturday

Hello Blog! I have not been paying as much attention to you as I should, because it turns out when these people say "study abroad," it turns out that the first word isn't just there for show (as I had been fervently hoping). As a result, I don't have much terrifically new to report. One totally cool thing is that, every year, Kyoto puts on basically a parade which is designed as a festival to honor the two Emperors Kammu and Komei that, respectively, made Kyoto the capital of Japan and moved the Capital away to Tokyo. Anyhow, so this parade consists of many, many volunteers from across Kyoto dressed up according to periods of history (Jidai), ostensibly to pay homage to the many periods of history these two enshrined emperors (they are also both deities and their sacred palanquins follow the procession) presided over the beginning and end of. The coolest part about this is that my host father is a participant (he gets to ride a HORSE!), and that the parade/festival basically is a 100% perfect example of the invented, tourist-ified history that I am taking a class on and that I am (basically) writing my BA thesis on also! My Professor in the class calls it "Kyotoland." I've talked about it before on here, even! Anyway, my host father lent me a promotional video (with language options of english/Japanese/Chinese (interesting in itself, also thaaank gooood, it would take me forever to figure out what was going on in only Japanese..)) that took greaat pains to assure the viewer this was 100% historically fact checked and absolutely true-to-life. When I told my professor this, he laughed it off. I'm on the fence; any time you make a costume down to the smallest details you are obviously reaching, but they have a Committee of Historical Accuracy. As a Presbyterian, I cannot help but trust a Committee.

Speaking of being a Presbyterian, it looks like (because cello rentals are fairly expensive and I would fail any audition anyway considering how out of practice I am by now) I am going to join my University's Handbell Choir. I have been getting crap for it from my classmates (their 'ad' in the clubs and circles booklet had an abundance of hearts in it, also every club had gender ratios and this one is 7:1) and even my host mom about it ("You know handbell choirs are mostly girls right?") but I maintain every handbell choir needs at least some big strong men like me to lift the big bells way down the scale. Don't worry, host mom! You won't have to put up with any late night shenanagins! I came to Japan to study, not have torrid handbell choir trysts. Also, as soon as the ladies in question hear me attempt to speak Japanese, any attempt of the torrid or trysty sort would fail immediately. "But!" you, the dear reader ask, "if you are here only to study, why join a handbell choir at all?" Well, my program requires we do something in the community to assure we are "involved in speaking with someone who is not interested in your education." Hooray!

Anyway blog, I think I am going to do some homework then head off to the Temple of the Weekend, Kiyomizudera, one of the most touristed of all! Probably have some pictures of it later, I dunno. Until next time, internet!