Bonen-kai (SONNA-NO KANKEI-NE!!!!)

Friday was the department bonen-kai, end-of-year party. I didn't really know what to expect. It was at a really fancy hotel, but I also know how every party I've been to here has been, so I wasn't sure how to play it. Nothing prepared me for this.

I got there right on time and was told to take the elevator to the "Grand Ballroom" on the top floor. I saw a few people I know on the way in, so I could tell that I was dressed right. Or so I thought until I got off the elevator and saw 4 guys at the check in table wearing superhero costumes, most of them the younger guys, but one was sort of a big dog, so I was more confused than I normally am in Japan.

I went in and sat down with a guy I know and, of course, they started pouring me beers. My boss came over to pour me a drink, and he was already pretty hammered. Then, according to Japanese tradition, I tried to pour him one. First, thought, to be culturally correct, I was told that I had to finish mine. OK, no problem there. Then, according to the ritual, my boss gave me his beer to finish before I could refill his. It was shaping up to be a rough night.

The guy I was sitting with (Sato-san) explained that all the new guys hired this year had to put on a show. He kindly gave me a warning that this always involves the new guys in speedos. This was also the only party I've been to that included the secretaries, so they got to size up the new guys, too.

Earlier in the week was some things I could say that would make people laugh. Basically punchlines from Japanese comedians, to help me make small talk. First, they taught me "Obei-ka?" with a sweeping hand gesture. It means "are you western?", and I guess you say it if they do something western, and then people laugh. I didn't get a chance to use it, though.

The second thing I learned was "Sonna-no kankei-ne!!" with downward fist pump. It's the catchphrase of a guy named Yoshio Kojima. Means something like "What does it matter?". The didn't, however, mention the standard presentation of this. Which brings me back to the new guys show. They did a whole routine based around "Sonna-no kankei-ne!!!". Here's a video of Kojima, so picture 5 guys doing this. Sorry I couldn't figure out how to embed it.

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2nyza_kojima_fun

After the show, there was a little mingling time, then it was time for BINGO!!! Turns out, I'm not good at bingo. They had good prizes, like a TV and a Wii, and some crappy ones. I didn't win any of them. I got to practice a lot of Japanese, and some guy promised to set up a "meeting girls party". I don't remember the word in Japanese, but it's basically a party where they arrange an even split and hope everyone pairs off nicely. It sounds like that's the normal way here in Japan, since all the bars are hostess bars.

When the party wrapped up, my well-lubricated boss grabbed me and said we should go to a bar, and he recommended going to one that doesn't have hostesses. I accepted gladly, and we went to a place that was sort of English-pub-style bar, with live jazz. They go by the bottle keep system (you buy a bottle and leave it there, and whenever you come in, you drink from it). We mostly went with individual drinks, though. I asked (in perfect Japanese) if they had tequila, and then what kind it was. With one other guy, I had my first shot of tequila in Japan (Sauza blanco, but I can't be picky). The other guys liked the ritual involved and wanted to join in, so they immediately ordered more shots. They didn't get the idea of waiting between drinks. Before I knew it, we were 5 shots in and not slowing down. No, you can't get the tequila on the bottle keep system. I had to pay 4000 yen for the big party, but for some reason I didn't pay anything at the bar, even though I was ordering all the drinks. I hope it keeps up like this.

I stopped at the 7-11 on the way home and bought a sandwich, since I hadn't really eaten anything, and went home and went to sleep.

EARTHQUAKE!!!

Breaking News....I was about 75% asleep, and a pretty big earthquake just hit of the coast of Japan, about 100 miles away. It was 6.2 on the Richter scale, pretty darn big. That's a 4 on the Japan scale. From what I can figure out, that felt like a 2 here in Utsunomiya. I could hear it, which I didn't expect. Just a low, groaning noise. Messes with a half awake mind. I have a feeling if I was standing or sitting or doing anything but trying to fall asleep, I might not have felt it at all. As it is, I had to check with the authorities before I posted this, in case I dreamed it.

From the USGS: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/quakes_big.php

And from Japan's equivalent: http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/

I'm going to try to go back to sleep, but I can't stop thinking about what I'm supposed to do if a bigger one hits. I'm on the 5th floor. I guess if I hear screaming I'll run towards it, assuming it's people who are trying to get my attention.

Anyway, everything's fine here, nothing fell down, I still have all my plates and liquor on the high shelf is still in it's bottles.

Home Sweet Home

I know you've all been dying to see what my apartment looks like with stuff in it. It took me this long to get all the stuff I need and take some pictures. They aren't all great pictures, but they work. First, the view. When you look straight down from my East windows, you see this nice little dirt park. They don't seem to want to spend time caring for grass, so the parks are mostly this kitty litter dirt. Still, it's nice. There's a public restroom in the park, but they don't have the same reputation here. If you look up from the park, you see this weird European churchy-looking building. I didn't know what it was for a while, and if I had it may have influenced my apartment choice. It's some sort of giant wedding chapel. I'm thinking of trying to crash some of the parties. I think I'll blend in.

My apartment is what they call a 1LDK. That's one bedroom, and another room that covers living room, dining room, and kitchen. Here's some pics of the LDK. Yeah, that's grandma's afghan and a family picture.

The LDK has sliding doors that open it up into the bedroom. Makes for one big room, but since there's no central heating or insulation, you keep doors closed and only heat the room you're in. I didn't make the bed, sorry, but I did pick out the curtain. There's no carpet, so it automatically matches the curtains. Also, I forget which day is cardboard garbage day, so there's still a bunch of boxes in there.

I've also got a walk-in closet that's bigger than I expected my apartment to be. Notice the convenient poles. They only go up about 6 feet, but girls are short here.

Besides the entry and the shoe closet, there's 2 more rooms. One is the combination laundry room, bath/shower room. The shower head doesn't actually go in the tub, you just stand in the middle of the room and wash up. The tub fills itself up automatically, if you know how to set it. I don't, and don't know when I would learn.

The shower is off the laundry room, where they have one 100v/50hz ungrounded outlet for the washer and dryer. Seems safe. Takes forever to dry clothes, but everyone hangs their stuff out.Finally, there's the room I affectionately call the shitbox. It's just a little room with a toilet. The toilet does everything you think it would. I'll get into that another day.

Otherwise, things are going good. I finally got my car and I'm happily zipping around town. It's not really fun to drive, but I laugh every time I walk up to it. Partly because I walk up to the wrong door, but mostly because it's ridiculously small.

This past weekend, some of the guys at work invited me to a "Bowling Convention". I don't know what word he was looking for, but convention wasn't it. I told them I wasn't any good (the truth) and then went out and won the first game by 20 pins. Must have something to do with not having a beer in the other hand. I got back to my normal skill level after that. Also did a lot of shopping. Anything in these pictures that could be called a shelf, I bought on Friday. I think the people at the store must have laughed their asses off after I left. They played charades with me for 40 minutes until I got everything I wanted, and the were really good sports about it.