Tokyo Visit Sept 2010 - Host Mom

When I began my stay in Tokyo in July 2005 for my 2 years as a Rotary World Peace Fellow I started off living with a host family for 2 months. My host family was the Abe's. Akiko Abe (the mom) and Jun Abe, her son in his early 20s (at that time). They often host a home stay student that takes the summer Japanese language course at ICU (International Christian University). Before my stay with them they always had Chinese speaking male students since Jun studied Chinese at University and Obasan (Auntie in Japanese, what I call Akiko) also has studied Chinese off and on for years.

But Jun finished university and so they decided to try a new kind of student, that was me! I think Obasan was a bit nervous in the beginning, but we became good friends and I kept in touch with her and met up with her many times during my 2 years in Tokyo. She is also one of the first people I met up on my Tokyo visit this time. We spent a whole day together. She was nervous I forgot my Japanese so was ready with her Japanese-English dictionaries, but it worked out just fine.

We walked around the area near Waseda University for a while and then took Tokyo's only above ground street car and went to check out the "Obaasan Harajuku". The 2 a's in Obaasan means grandma and Harajuku is normally the word used for a neighborhood in Tokyo where a lot of young alternative type Japanese kids hang out in interesting costumes. But Grandma Harajuku is where you might see an 80 year old with purple hair, and we did! Its an area where a lot of those in Japan's older generation hangs out, partly due to the plethora of affordable, cheap even, shops with reasonably nice stuff. Older folks always know where the deals are.

On rather odd thing in this neighborhood is a store named Nihon no Aka-Pantsu, meaning Japanese Red Pants store. EVERYTHING in the story is red and most of the stuff is underclothes - underwear, bras, socks, garters, boxer shorts, some T-shirts. ALL red, apparently red is supposed to keep you genki (energetic). I asked if there is something unique in the fabric, but no, its just red... My reaction is... Only in Japan would you find something like this :-)














In the same neighborhood there was also a Buddhist temple with a special Jizo. A Jizo (according to this website: http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/jizo1.shtml) is "one of the most beloved of all Japanese divinities, Jizō works to ease the suffering and shorten the sentence of those serving time in hell, to deliver the faithful into Amida’s western paradise (where inhabitants are no longer trapped in the six states of desire and karmic rebirth), and to answer the prayers of the living for health, success, children, and all manner of petitions. In modern Japan, Jizō is a savior par excellence, a friend to all, never frightening even to children, and his/her many manifestations -- often cute and cartoon-like in contemporary times -- incorporate Taoist, Buddhist, and Shintō elements."

The temple we saw had a large Jizo that you are supposed to pour water over it like I am doing here.















Then you should gently wipe away the water as my host mom is doing here. By doing this you are supposed to be healed if you are sick or maintain good health if you are not.


















On our way back toward Shimokitazawa (the neighborhood where I was staying during my visit) I took the chance to snap this photo...














A Romance Car are Odakyu line trains from Tokyo to resort type areas for example in Hakone where there are a lot of nice Japanese onsen (natural hot springs). In these trains you have 2 person seats without an arm rest between the two passengers - very romantic huh?

My host mom and I went to a fantastic dinner at the end of our day together. It was still about 30C but we sat outside and found a place with a bit of a breeze. Part of the dinner was this super tasty plate of sashimi. The green leaves underneath the fish are also delicious - its an herb called shisoo, some call it Japanese basil and its got a fantastic flavor - too bad I can't find any in Copenhagen...