Fire Flies

It was a moment of unreality to find myself on a Friday evening when I should be teaching on the banks of Seki river, on a tiny path balanced between river and rice paddy, chasing fire flies with two students. It was there idea to take a field trip as I had never seen fire flies before. Since they only live for two or three weeks there was no time to loose. Half way through the lesson we were speeding through town on our way to the first stop. Here the river was flanked by pathways and bridges for the purpose of enjoying the cherry blossom in spring and I guess the fireflies in June. The light was brighter and more yellowy-green than the orange I'd been expecting. We walked up and down the river stopping when we found the pulsing lights. They gave me the same thrill as unexpected fairy lights seen from a distance at Christmas time. There's something magical about their glow, the tiny window of time in which to see them. Of course there used to be many more before there were so many people, before the river started being cleaned in order to vie for the status of cleanest river in Japan. 
So we zoomed off to a quieter part of town. The huge office buildings of JAL on one side and then the black expanse of flat rice fields housing chorusing frogs and a tiny piece of river trying to slide on through unnoticed. We didn't manage to catch one but as we returned to the car we found one lying on the road and picked it up on a leaf. It was small, brown and moth like but for the tiny tail of solid neon. Not a fairy at all, just a strange insect crossing over that same paradoxical line that exisits everywhere in Japan between the neon modernity and the restrained traditional. 

The Art of Coffee

Another day, another coffee shop. This one is a mere stroll from home. A modern looking, welcoming front disguised an old fashioned, dark wood interior. Behind the counter wall mounted shelves displayed china cups, no single one being the same. The woman behind the counter was dressed in layers of floaty black clothes like a butterfly wearing the sky on a winters night. She presented us with iced water and hot towels before taking our order. Once back behind the counter she examined the selection of cups before choosing the correct ones for each of us. She weighed out the coffee beans, ground them and placed them in a filter onto which she poured hot water from a large, ornate silver pot. We marvelled at the precision and the flavour but just slightly lamented the lack of the usual small chocolate accompaniment. Moments later we were presented with a large plate each (matching our cups and saucers) on it were three small slices of cake and a leaf-shaped glass dish containing a home-made lemon ice-cream that tasted exactly like a perfect gin and tonic. There was no shortage of customers coming and going-it's clearly an institution.

It's worth remembering (and I'm really not lecturing) that while this glorious attention to the simplest pleasures goes on in our area of Japan it's a different story in the North East. There people are refusing to move into the free new (pre-fab) homes being built for them because at the rescue centres they get fed. If they move into their own home they'll have no money to buy food. Poverty is always shocking but when I contrast my day in this country with that fact it somehow means more. Today I miss working for Oxfam. 

Cycle Ride

My new favourite cycle ride is along the rice paddies near where we live. The contrast of the sunken fields and the surrounding mountains on all sides id dizzying. At the weekend people are planting and tending in straw hats. There are always interesting birds around. We even saw a huge heron flying low across the road in front of us. 

Seki Weekend

Hello all.

Quick update:

Spent yesterday afternoon strolling around a beautiful big park on the edge of Seki. There was an Iris garden and some awesome play areas-if only I could get away with going on them. It was very pretty and Japanese and relaxing. The weather has been hot this weekend.

Today we went to a bbq at one of Mike's students homes. It was very lovely and there was so much food! We had rice wrapped in bacon, chicken and beef with teriyaki sauce, loads of vegetables, marshmallows and chocolate sauce and a traditional side of rice and fish wrapped in leaves.

The garden was beautiful with many types of roses and loads of other flowers.