Shodo Party

A couple family members have requested more pictures. I have plenty loaded up on my digital camera, but the problem is getting them onto a computer to upload to the Internet. I have been staying with a different friend each night which means I cannot establish any kind of routine. There is no down time, everything is new, my hosts feel they need to always be entertaining me. Hard to complain though.

So as soon as I can access a computer that has the capability to take in the cameras from Dad's Kodak EasyShare digital camera, I shall post them.

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Last night I stayed at a friend's home, located in Mie, the prefecture neighboring Nagoya. An hour long train ride -- at about $10 -- took us to the rural area. The house felt more like a compound, not huge, but not the tiny size of apartmetns I have been seeing most days. At the home, my friend's mom had dinner waiting. Oops. I had eaten out earlier in the evening. But this was a time when it was necessary to eat again. So I did. I made sure to finish up what I was served, but then I made it clear ... "Onaka ga ipai," or, "I'm full."

When my friend's dad came home, we broke out the beer. Plenty of it. We talked about Japan, about Oregon, about snow. We all got along quite well. Later, friend's sister brought up Shodo --Japanese caligraphy. Instead of trying to explain it, she opted to go get the material, load up the ink and just show me. This led to quite a demonstration, and then, of course, it was my turn to try. They taught me the Kanji character for "friend," pronounced, "tomo" the word is "tomodatci"). I sat in the proper way, knees bent, concentrated, steadied by beer-altered balance, and went to make my strokes. One, across. Two, down. Three, around. Finally, down again. Done. They praise me, saying it is very good. I know it is not. But I accept the compliment, as it is my first real attempt at this art form. They let me keep the paper I have drawn on, calling it a gift. The father laughs, and says that it is not a gift, because I drew it. Drink up, they say. I do.

And the "Shodo party" is over.