Interns at DCE – Page 2 – Department of Contemporary English at Ibaraki Christian University

December 28, 2018December 27, 2018

An ode to the students of IC

The students of Ibaraki Christian University are a truly remarkable bunch. Their love, kindness and hospitality made living and teaching, over the course of these 3-months, in Japan an unforgettable and rewarding experience. They have made me feel so at home, that Ibaraki became my second home.

And as I leave IC and finish my internship, I have a written a poem to express my sincere gratitude to all the IC students who have touched me so dearly:

As I gaze deep into the night sky

From the window of this plane

I cannot help but remember

Remember those first few steps I took

Through the doors of 5100

Imagining a room full of little saplings

Eager to practice their English

To which I could help nurture

But instead you saw a little sapling within myself

Whom you showered with warmth and joy

Nurturing me and helping me to grow

And as these months passed by

I basked and grew from this love

And for this I will be forever grateful

And I eagerly await the day when we can meet again.

Oh students of 5100.

Thank you to all the students at IC for making this internship a truly rewarding experience.

December 6, 2018

Joy From Soy: The Guide to Kikkoman Milk

Before coming to Japan, I was sure that soy-milk could only come in five flavours; unflavoured, vanilla, chocolate, coffee and, if you’re lucky, strawberry. But oh boy I was wrong.

Kikkoman (yes, the brand that makes soy sauce) is not just a condiment creator. The manufacturer also makes a variety of soy-milk flavours. So, over the last three months, my mission was to find the good, the bad and the down-right-dirty flavours and give you the scoop here Image result for kikkoman soy milk

17. Yomogi (Mugwort): This is just not enjoyable. Nope. Bitter and grassy tasting in soy-milk – it is no wonder that the herb is typically used in beauty products.

16. Mixed Fruits: I have no idea what fruits they were thinking about when making this flavour, but the taste is incredibly ambiguous. The fruit flavour was somewhat overshadowed by the soy-milk flavour.

15. Red Bean Soup: Slightly salty, slightly sweet, this flavour is probably best enjoyed in the summer. It really is a liquid version of the real thing!

14. Amazake: This is probably the one flavour that doesn’t really need to exist; Amazake is a Japanese rice drink, so this is literally a milk trying to be a different ‘milk’!

13. Strawberry/Melon/Black Sesame Seed: These were all delicious, but to me they ranked at roughly the same level. Their consistencies felt a little watery, but the taste was true to the label each time.

12. Chocolate/Green Tea: These two cartoons are probably the most easily found, and also tasted as one may expect. However, I must say Alpro (the UK’s leading soy-milk brand), does a better job with producing a chocolate beverage.

11. Cherry Blossom : This variety is based on preserved cherry blossoms, rather than the fresh sort. The sweet and salty combination can only be compared to pickled plums, but somehow works better than some of the other slightly savoury soy milks on this list.

10. Malted Coffee: It is not as clean cut tasting as coffee itself, but offers a nice change!

9. Annin-tofu (Chinese-style almond jelly)/Black Tea: These two types of soy-milk tasted really similar, but not bad! Although I have never had annin-tofu, I definitely want to try it now!

8. Mango: After the disappointing mixed fruits experience, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that the mango taste is like a less thick mango lassi, an Indian drink.

7. Chestnut: As a lover of chestnuts, this flavour was a bit of a disappointment. It is better described as “sugar with a hint of chestnut”, but it is saved by the lingering chestnut aftertaste. Yummy, yummy, chestnut.

6. Banana: A delightful, banana-y flavour that isn’t as overpowering as I initially anticipated.

5. Coffee: I must confess, my favourite drink is coffee. Ever. The only reason this isn’t higher on the list is because of the noticeable lack of caffeine.

4. Cinnamon: This is a flavour which was released this winter, so I was very lucky to be able to try it! This would immediately get the number one place if it was piping hot.

3. Sweet Potato: Cinnamon is followed by another seasonal (but less festive) flavour which is only available during the autumn season. Sweet potatoes are often used in Japanese confectionary, and not without good reason – they are delicious!

2. Vanilla Ice Cream/Almond: These are only a hair’s length behind my number one flavour due to their excessive sweetness. Plus, the Vanilla cartoon is a wicked, intense blue colour!

1. Coconut: This flavour is simply phenomenal. The level of sweetness is just right; the coconut taste is soft yet present, but it is thick and creamy. Nothing short of sheer bliss. This is absolutely something I wish existed in the UK. Maybe I will have to write a letter to Alpro in England…

Image result for soya milk meme

By Amy Furney

November 29, 2018

Hiking in Hananuki Keikoku

Hello, my name is Uria Thomas and I interned at Ibaraki Christian University in the fall of 2018. I knew when I came to Japan I wanted to find some good hiking spots, especially because I was interning during the fall. I am from Texas, so there are not many good hiking spots. If you want to hike in Texas you have to travel FAR, and good luck finding fall leaves to look at. Needless to say I wanted to find a good spot in Japan to hike and see the fall leaves, it wasn’t hard at all to find a place near by!

If you come to Japan during the fall I highly recommend traveling to some sort of hiking location! The leaves in the fall make for some beautiful scenery! Even if you’re not someone who really enjoys hikes, there are places you can go that require very little walking. I went to Hananuki Keikoku in Takahagi, which is about a 20 minute train ride to from Omika, and a 15 minute bus ride from the Takahagi station. There are a few different hiking trails once you get off the bus. One trail leads to a beautiful waterfall, and it’s around a 2 minute walk from where you are dropped off. I think the waterfall is one of the most beautiful locations on the hike, so if you’re not much of a hiker this will allow you to enjoy a nice view, take some pictures, and grab some local food at some of the food stands.

If you are taking the bus be aware that the last bus to the train will leave shortly after 2:00 PM! So, going earlier is better, so that you will have enough time to see everything you want to. I arrived at Hananuki Keiko at about 11:00 AM and got the bus back just after 2:00 PM. So, I had three hours to hike and explore. DO NOT MISS THE BUS BACK TO THE STATION! Once you exit the bus there will be a sign that tells you when the last bus will depart. So, make sure you definitely keep an eye out for that.

I went during the fall and it was beautiful! The leaves were changing colors, so I was constantly surrounded by beauty. Some of the most beautiful and worthwhile spots are the hardest to get to. I unknowingly went up a rather difficult trail, and it took me about 50 minutes to make it to the top of the trail head. However, it was the most amazing view. I have shared some photos below. The waterfall picture (above) is the closest to the drop off location. It’s probably one of the prettiest spots, but I do recommend hiking a little further to some of the other locations as well. Ultimately, Hananuki Keiko is great for someone who doesn’t want to do much hiking, or for someone a bit more experienced. Either way, you will be able to see some beautiful leaves and scenery.

The bridge is the most popular spot at Hananuki Keiko. To walk to the bridge it takes around 7 or 8 minutes, and it’s a bit uphill. There is also a beautiful stream and waterfall below the bridge as well. It was very packed when I went, because I decided to go on a Sunday. It might be less crowded if you chose to go during a weekday, but I am not sure.

If you decide to go across the bridge and walk a little further there is a bathroom and picnic spot, as well as the second parking lot. Just after the restrooms is another trail on the left side. This is the trail that I went up.
It is a very difficult hike, uphill the majority of the way, but at the top is a beautiful view of the mountains!

November 19, 2018

Pros and Cons : Homestay and Apartments

Hello everyone! Thank you for your interest in this blog post. I hope the information below will help you in deciding between an apartment or homestay during your internship. I’m writing this post because I was lucky enough to experience both options. Both were great experiences, but one could benefit you more than the other, depending on the kind of person you are.

HOMESTAY PROS

JAPANESE

As a Japanese major, I preferred the homestay and that is because I was able to practice and learn new vocabulary on the spot with my homestay parents. They will always be happy to teach you new words, phrases, or fix your grammar. They will want to learn some English too, from time to time, and that’s a pleasure as well.

SPECIAL INFORMATION

Not only will your homestay parents enjoy teaching you Japanese, but they will teach you many other things as well. If you are with a homestay family, you can find out where the cheap but good local restaurants are, the rip-offs and tourist traps, as well as the places that are worthwhile. Essentially, you will be brought up to speed on things regarding Hitachi and Japan as a whole. For example, Mr. Sagawa told me about the best ramen place to go to in Tokyo. I haven’t been there yet, upon writing this, but I passed the information on to my girlfriend. She said it was the best ramen she’d ever had in her life. When she went, the owners were surprised because they don’t get too many customers from abroad there. It’s called MARUFUKU ramen, for your information! Of course, you can find out many things from the students as well, so please ask them too!

GOOD FOOD

In a homestay, you have the chance to try many different Japanese dishes. If there is anything you want to try, your homestay parents will do their best to provide. Mr. Sagawa found out that I love fish eggs so he got a whole bunch just for me. Eventually everyone else got tired of them, but for the time being I was grateful. They’re so expensive in the USA, ya know? Among what I liked, there were many pleasant surprises too. Sama is an awesome grilled fish dish! Beef Curry! Sushi! Ramen! Shimesabe, and plenty of other fish that I hadn’t heard of. If you are worried about portion sizes, don’t worry! They will fill you up. Actually, if you are on a diet or want to lose weight, a homestay might be a bit tough because they provide you with a lot. Of course, they’ll also assure you that leaving food on the plate is fine.

It tasted really good.

THE JAPANESE BATH

Taking a Japanese-style bath is a blessing. After a good day of hard work, you can rinse yourself off with a nice bucket. Not being constantly hit by shower water is nice and it feels easier to clean yourself in a Japanese bath. Why? I don’t know, but the fact that the water is not constantly running makes me feel okay to take my time. Then after you’re all washed up, you can sit and relax in the tub that will keep your whole body warm. You can do this in the apartments too, it’s just not ideal! I will explain that later.

A home-stay washroom!

CONS

EATING HOWEVER YOU WOULD LIKE

One thing that I appreciated about the apartments was that I could eat however I wanted to. In a homestay, you eat together. Sometimes I just wanted to eat a quick snack while working on a project, whereas with a homestay, dinner time is the main time that you and the hosts communicate, so it’s a little rude to just take their food and get to work or do work at the table during dinner. If you are really pressed for time, I am sure they will understand if you tell them beforehand.

COMMUNICATION

If you do not know Japanese, homestay families will still do their best to communicate with you, but it might be really tough depending on how good your and your homestay family’s communication skills are. If you are someone that really wants to be a part of regular family activities like watching TV and dinner table discussions, that will be there for you! Just don’t expect everything to be perfectly clear.

APARTMENT PROS

EATING WHATEVER YOU WANT

You choose what you will have for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Homestays will accommodate you from time to time, which is great, but if you like that freedom of decision an apartment is a better choice. I personally loved being surprised during my homestay but having the decision to pick from a large variety of Japanese cuisine on my own was also fun. If you would like to cook a variety of things then I would still recommend the homestay. A homestay will have more cooking tools for you than the apartments will. The apartments only have one gas stove, a toaster oven, microwave, and rice cooker. It depends on the room that you get, but you might also land one with an electric stove, and possibly without one of the things that I mentioned above. In addition, your host family can provide cooking tips, and it could turn out to be a fun family activity.

FRIENDS AND PARTIES

Some homestay families would rather not have you bring a guest (or guests) over to their home for various reasons. In any case, with an apartment you can have small parties or make quick plans to go out anytime! You can stay up as late as you want. You can do so in a homestay as long as you are quiet. The walls are thicker in the apartment so you can sing and dance with a medium noise level there.

CONS

THE BATHROOM IS SMALL

I was just spoiled by the size of the bathrooms in the homestays. You have plenty of space to stretch and wash every inch of your body without worrying about getting dry things wet in a homestay because the washing area and the toilet room are separate. I suggest not having too many things in the bathroom, or to just be highly aware of your surroundings when washing yourself. That being said, I was still able to enjoy a Japanese-style bath at the apartments. Instead of filling up the tub and washing myself by using a separate water source (which is what you do in a homestay), I just filled the tub a bit more and pulled water from that with a small bucket. You could just wash yourself with the shower and then fill the tub up but I prefer the bucket way. After washing myself, I could sit in the bath without waiting for it to fill up, and relax. The bath itself is not wide, but it’s deep so it’s still great!

The space of the bathroom in comparison to my body.

The bathtub!

COCKROACHES

The apartments are actually really clean! The cockroach is more of a common bug here than a sign of uncleanliness. That being said, you are more likely to see them in the apartments! Maybe the neighbors were messy though? Or it might have been because the building is old? I’m not sure as to why they were there but I haven’t seen them in a homestay yet, so if you can’t handle bugs then maybe the homestay is the way to go.

COIN LAUNDRY

The host families I had did my laundry! They had great machines to do so, too. The machines at the apartments are a bit weak. Try the ones on the third floor though, they are newer. Drying will take one hour to an hour and half. Paying a fee to use them is one thing, but when the machines only accept 50 or 100 yen coins it can become a problem to save those specific coins for doing laundry. If it becomes too much of an annoyance to do so, you can always try the laundry service across the street.

Thank you for reading! I hope this helps you or was at least entertaining!

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If you are interested in learning more about apartments I recommend this intern’s post.

http://intern.gendaieigo.info/2018/07/25/living-in-an-apartment-in-hitachi/

September 4, 2018September 4, 2018

Mount Fuji-A Worthwhile Challenge

During my internship, I could not miss the opportunity to climb one of the world’s most famous mountains in Mount Fuji. Not knowing any specific information about the climb, I was surprised to learn that most climbers choose to take a bus up to the fifth of the mountain’s ten stations to cut the hike short. I also learned that a previous intern had succeeded in making the hike from the bottom of the mountain which inspired my sense of adventure to take on the challenge.

Upon emailing said intern, I was further intrigued, and a little intimidated, by the details she provided me. She described that overnight hike as an increasingly steepening 12 hour trek to the top to see the rising sun. She also pointed out the massive temperature changes, saying that at the base she was sweating in shorts while at the top she was cold under 2 layers. After hearing this account, I was motivated to take on that hike and saw it as a tremendous personal challenge and truly unique Japanese experience.
So, I took a train to Tokyo on a Friday evening in late July and then transferred to a bus that took me to Kawaguchiko, one of the towns at the mountain’s base. That evening I stayed in a capsule hotel, and the next day I stopped by an onsen to relax before I began the hike.

I then began hiking from the onsen at around 4:30. I followed a main road and eventually another road, reaching the start of the trail within about an hour. During this time, the sun had began to set and twilight descended. It was near fully dark at around 7, during which time I was guided only by my headlamp in the woods for about 2 and a half hours. It was a somewhat eerie yet peaceful experience I can’t say I’ve experienced an equivalent to.
Eventually, the forest cleared and I stopped at a station featuring an overlook and a shop selling snacks. There, I bought a chocolate bar which is one of the best things I have ever eaten given how tired I was. At that point I was beginning to worry that it may be difficult to complete the hike. However, I was determined to see my goal through, reminding myself to continue to pace the hike.

While the forest part of the path featured many steps, the next part became significantly steeper and was coated in gravel, making progress much slower. This was especially disheartening after I realized how tired I already was at that point. After reaching the next station, I was surprised to see signs indicating that the top of the mountain was only 5 km away. As a high school cross country runner, I had to walk many 5ks on pre race course tours, which generally took only 45 minutes to complete. Knowing that I wasn’t supposed to arrive for 6 hours, I was worried about what lie ahead.
At this point, the area was lit up by fellow hikers and their headlamps. The whole trail was covered in hikers and the path to the top was completely illuminated. However, at this point the trail wasn’t so congested; it was possible to hike around slower walkers. This would change; if memory serves it took me over an hour to cover the final kilometer. The trail became extremely congested to the point where I spent long periods of time just standing still in line.

My arrival was worth it. I received a major sense of accomplishment upon the completion of the hike. While the sunrise was partially covered by clouds, the view was still spectacular and my tiredness made it all the more satisfying. In addition to the view, the top of Mount Fuji itself is a spectacle to see. Hiking trails circumvent the volcano’s crater and the ground is covered in very distinctive red volcanic dust. It also features a Ramen shop, which after completing my hike, proved to be some of the best Ramen I had in Japan.
I am very happy that I went through with this hike as it has proved to be one of my proudest accomplishments. If any readers ultimately end up interning at ICU and would like more information about the hike, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at matt.curry56@gmail.com.

August 27, 2018

Private Chat Hour

One of the most rewarding aspects of this internship for me was getting to work one-on-one with students during privately scheduled chat hours. During these times, you and a student will work on test prep, conversation practice, or writing practice in the intern office, an empty classroom, or—in rarer circumstances—an empty table in the cafeteria or the student lounge. In my experience, private chat hours are both challenging and rewarding: being able to thoroughly explain grammar points in basic English, understand each student’s individual needs, and balance private chat hour duties with other duties can be difficult; however, getting the opportunity to help students on a more personal level was definitely the highlight of my internship experience. Throughout my three months as an intern, I helped a total of seventeen different students during private chat hour; at one point, I had five regularly scheduled private chat hours a week. There’s still a lot I have to learn in regards to teaching and running these private sessions, but I hope that this guide will prove useful to others!

Continue reading “Private Chat Hour”

July 25, 2018July 25, 2018

Living in an Apartment in Hitachi

General Information

Having lived in Hitachi for two sumers now in an apartment, it’s easy for me to say that it is extremely convenient and enjoyable to live by oneself in Japan. I stayed in Sagawa-san’s apartments, other known as the “Maison d’Espoir” complex. Sagawa-san is the landlord, and he is very friendly and helpful. On your first day in the apartment, he will guide you through everything that you need to know, including when/how to throw out the trash, where to put recyclable PET bottles, how to use the stove, etc.

The apartment itself is quite small, being that it is a studio. The kitchen has a singular stove, but Sagawa-san provides an abundance of cooking supplies and eating utensils such as pots, pans, plates, bowls, and cutlery. The bathroom has a classic Japanese-style shower/bathtub/sink combination, which saves a lot of space and is easy to use. There is air conditioning, and depending on the room, there may also be a fan. There are hangers for clothes drying, a vacuum cleaner, and a closet as well as other storage cubicles. There is also a TV (beware of NHK! Sagawa-san will explain this when you meet him). Additionally, Sagawa-san provides a fridge, microwave, toaster, water kettle, and a rice cooker!

Apartment Layout

During my two stays, I had the chance to see three different apartments. I can safely say that the layout for the apartments I stayed in varied only slightly. For example, in 2017, I had a desk and chair, and this year in 2018, the two apartments I saw had floor tables and no chairs. *I had to change my apartment once this year because my AC had broken down, and Sagawa-san swiftly helped me move into a different apartment the very next day. Both the apartments I stayed in this year were on the second floor, whereas the one I stayed in last year was on the first floor. If you have a request to have a table or floor table, I would make sure to let the Intern Coordinator and Sagawa-san know before it is arranged! I personally would have preferred having a chair this year, but it was nice to experience using a floor table and a seat mat (that I purchased at Daiso) seeing that I was in Japan! As for beds, my first and second apartments had regular beds and Sagawa-san provided all of the bedding. The third apartment had a sofa bed, which was slightly less firm than a mattress, but still very comfortable.

Location

The apartment is conveniently located about 25 minutes by foot from Ibaraki Christian University or 12 minutes by bicycle. A 5-minute walk away is a Daiso (100-yen shop) as well as a Mini-Stop (convenience store). I have found these two stores to be extremely useful. Daiso for things such as dish sponges, cups, and just about anything you will need in your apartment (even soy sauce, spices, and food!). Mini-stop is a 24/7 convenience store that will satisfy your late-night cravings or if you need anything when stores are usually closed. About a 20 minute walk away in two different directions are two supermarkets: Maruto and Sanyu. Maruto is larger, closer to the school, and slightly cheaper overall. I wouldsuggest shopping at Maruto. Sanyu is smaller but adjacent to a drugstore (drugstores in Japan also sell toiletries and amenities such as shampoo, make-up, soap, etc.).

Overall Impressions

If you prefer the independence and freedom, I would highly recommend staying in the apartments. If you like to cook, the singular stove is easy to work with (you can get creative with how to cook everything!). I have nothing but good impressions of the apartments and can say that if I were to return (a third time…) to Hitachi, that I would definitely return to the apartments.

July 25, 2018July 27, 2018

Lunch at DCE

When I first arrived at the DCE, I was anxious about the lunchtime component of the internship and hesitant to sit with students that I didn’t know and might not connect with. As a generally introverted person, enthusiastically introducing myself to new people and holding the weight of starting new conversations does not come easily to me, and when I first sat down with students and tried to energetically connect, it felt uncomfortable and forced. However, after a half dozen or so lunchtimes at different tables with unfamiliar students, I realized that forcing myself to be enthusiastic and outgoing around new people and pushing myself out of my comfort zone became gradually less forced and less uncomfortable.

A series of things had changed: first, I was getting to know the students and making genuine friends, so that each time I sat down at lunch there were one or two familiar faces. Second, I learned which points of conversation were generally successful: asking for recommendations of where to travel and what to eat in Japan, sharing photos and watching music videos, and talking about my interests in Kpop and Tokyo street fashion almost always got students excited and more confidently speaking about their own favorite shows or interests. A balance of familiar (Japanese/Asian) and unfamiliar (Western) topics proved to work really well; discussing both Disney and Ghibli, Marvel and manga, kept students comfortable and confident but also challenged and engaged. Third, my enthusiasm and energy became more natural over time as I became used to regularly introducing myself to new people and sharing my interests with the students.

Of course, just as in any other situation, you can’t form a deep connection with everyone you talk to; regardless, if you’re friendly, approachable and willing to listen, it’s possible to have a good conversation with almost anyone. The experience is always tiring and conversations sometimes fall short – miscommunication and misunderstandings are common, largely as a result of the language barrier – but ultimately, it’s entirely worth it to expend the energy and put yourself out there. I’ve made some wonderful close friends at Ibaraki as a result of the lunchtime component of the internship, and I urge future interns to take advantage of the least-structured period of the day to really connect with students and have fun.

In summary, if you’re considering interning at the DCE but you’re nervous about interacting with unfamiliar students and putting yourself out of your comfort zone: fake it till you make it. With time and practice, forced enthusiasm can become the genuine enjoyment of eating lunch with your friends.

July 22, 2018July 23, 2018

Traveling to Tokyo using the Bus

With Tokyo only 2 hours away, it would be a shame to not venture into the city during the weekend. Lucky for interns, it is very easy and cheap to take the highway bus to and from Tokyo!

Step 1. Go to the online website (which is in English)

https://www.kousokubus.net/JpnBus/en

Ibaraki and Tokyo should be in the “to” and “from” sections. The route should be “Tokyo –> Hitachi”. The bus stop for Tokyo should always be Tokyo Station. There are two choices for the bus stop from Ibaraki. “Shintanakochi” is the stop interns use when they arrive from the airport but without a car it is a little difficult to get to. I suggest using “Ishinazaka”. This stop is just up the road from IC and can be easily walked to. If you are living with a host family in a town other than Omika, from “Ishinazaka” you can walk to Omika Station and catch a train home.

Step 2: Picking and paying for your ticket

Once you put in your ticket information, you can search for available buses.

Different bus selections will pop up for the day selected

The tickets are displayed from earliest departure to latest. (Be careful! Japan uses a 24-hour clock). Once you find your desired departure time, there will usually be 3 options to chose from. “Hayauri” tickets are early booking seats and are only available if tickets are reserved at least a day in advanced of the trip day. They are a little cheaper at ¥2100 and are what I usually choose when I’m picking tickets. The normal price for a one-way trip is ¥2460 and is the next option. The options in the red boxes are special ladies-only seating if anyone is uncomfortable sitting next to a man. Options or the whole bus may be sold out if you try to reserve late so make sure you get your tickets in advance.

Once you have made your selection, the website will have you give your email address and will send you a reservation confirmation and a link for payment. !!!MAKE SURE YOU PAY!!! Your reservation usually has a time limit of 10-30 minutes. If you do not pay within this time limit, the link becomes a dud and the whole process must be started again. I recommend paying right away to avoid any headaches. Once you pay online, they will provide you with a printable electronic ticket. You will need to print it and hand it to the bus driver when you board the bus.

Step 3: Returning

After you have had your fun weekend in Tokyo, it is time to return and get ready for Monday morning. Returning buses always leave from Tokyo Station from the Yaesu South Exit.

Japanese public transportation is always on time so do NOT be late. I recommend giving yourself plenty of time to navigate the maze that is Tokyo Station. Once you find the buses, it might seem a little intimidating with buses leaving every 10 minutes and masses of people running around. No worries though since you left yourself at least 10 minutes to find what dock your bus will be leaving from….rightttt? They have electronic screens at every docking pillar that lists the next three departing buses. Find the correct departure time and look for 日立駅 (Hitachi Station). If you really can’t find it, try asking one of the station attendants who are wondering around. I am sure they will gladly point you in the right direction. Once you find your bus, there will be 10 minutes of boarding time before you are finally off and on your way back home! The return bus will always stop at Shintanakochi (新田中内), but if you are getting off at Ishinazaka (石名坂 – the next stop), remember to push the button telling the driver that you want to get off. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself at Taga station and will have to find your way back to Omika.

Being an intern at IC has allowed me to fully appreciate Japanese public transportation. It is so easy to use and much cheaper than back home. During your time at IC, make sure to utilize it. Enjoy!

July 12, 2018

Kashima-Jingu Shrine

Check out my vlog to see just how beautiful the Kashima-Jingu shrine really is!

DEITY:

The Kashima-Jingu shrine is dedicated to Takemikazuchi, the ancient god of thunder and martial arts. After the Father of Japan, Izanagi, beheaded his own son as a punishment, it is said that Takemikazuchi sprung from the blood that splashed onto the rocks from Izanagi’s sword. With Takemikazuchi, Futsunushi was also born. Both gods are revered and respected as gods of martial and military arts.

ABOUT:

This shrine is the oldest shrine in the entire Kanto region and is one of the Three Shrines of the East in Japan. It is assumed to have been founded in 660BC, during Emperor Jimmu’s first year.

The entrance of the shrine, the Romon, is one of the largest gateways in Japan! It is also considered to be an important cultural property and is one of many important aspects of the shrine. There are many historical artifacts stored within the treasure hall inside the shrine. One of the artifacts is Japan’s longest and oldest sword. Unfortunately, I was unable to go into the treasure hall so I didn’t get to see the sword.

Gateway to Kashima-Jingu Shrine — The bright red gateway showed us exactly where we needed to go.

In some parts of Japan, deer are considered to be messengers of the gods and are admired greatly due to their significance in the Shinto religion. Deer are sacred animals and can be found in the “deer park” in the Kashima-Jingu shrine, among a few other places around Japan.

Sacred Deer in Kashima-Jingu Shrine — The deer park in the Kashima-Jingu Shrine.

After wandering around the shrine and immersing yourself in the natural beauty that surrounds the shrine, you can buy an amulet (omamori) as a lucky souvenir. The ones I saw said “Traffic safety” and “Good luck on exams”. The omamori are made by women who work at the shrine. At the Kashima-Jingu shrine, they wear the traditional styled clothing of the red skirt and white top.

More omamori — Even more omamori! Buy all the luck you can!

I hope you enjoyed this post! I will try to be posting every other day on my personal blog so follow me to keep up with my adventures in Japan!