nagazasshi 7.3

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Martial Arts | Haruna Kawaguchi | Saraudon | Expat Life

nagazasshi

Ganbatte The

Spirit

KKnagazasshi

Editor-in-chiefAndrew Massey

EditorsRosie Fordham

Katy Squicciarini

Layout and DesignLaurel Williams

Contributors

www.nagazasshi.com

Volume 7 Issue 3November/December 2014

Cover photo:Japanese Calligraphy

By Priscilla Westra

Copy EditorDoug Bonham

FoundersAndrew Morris

Matthew Nelson

TreasurerKarl Po

The leaves of the trees have fallen, exposing branches to the elements, and most insects have gone into

hibernation. Blankets have been fetched from closets and kotatsu have been dusted off. Get out your heat tech and wooly socks. Winter is coming.

Well, kind of. Depends on where you’re from. Hailing from Canada, a land lovingly referred to as The Great White North, I find myself adapting rather quickly to Nagasaki’s chillier months. It never seems to drop below the lower single digits here, which is downright balmy compared to the negative twenties of a typical Canadian winter. While everyone’s out in their mitts, scarves, and winter coats, I’m perfectly fine with a tuque and a windbreaker. It’s quite fascinating really; the extent to which our past experiences inform our perception. It’s part of what makes everydayness itself such an endlessly entertaining topic.

With this in mind, we’ve decided to focus on the theme of everyday lived experience with this issue. In addition to our regular sections like My Two Yen (p. 6), Japanese Martial Arts (p. 7), and Nagasaki Notables (p. 12), you’ll also find articles about the ubiquitous phrase “ganbatte!”(p. 10), expat life in Japan (p. 16), and the classic dish saraudon (p. 14).

Finally, a big shout-out to our contribu-tors, sponsors, and to the local commu-nity. Thank you. Without your unyielding support, we wouldn’t exist.

Happy reading!

Andrew Massey,Editor-in-chief

Doug BonhamJennifer EdwardsRosie Fordham

Amy GiffordAndrew Massey

Will Morgan

Karl PoAlexis Powell

Niel ThompsonKaty SquicciariniPriscilla WestraLaurel Williams

Assistant EditorNiel Thompson

KKKnagazasshi | November/December 2014 3

ContentsEvents

10

4

My Two YenCheck out some staff recs in music and anime

14

6

Shikairou’s Original Saraudon

Delve into what fuels Japanese society to fight-o The Spirit of “Ganbatte”

Discover where this Nagasaki dish got its start

12Nagasaki Notables: Kawaguchi HarunaLearn about this Goto-born actress and model

7

7Our series continues with its fifth installment

Japanese Martial Arts: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

19Kanji of the Month

16The Quips and Quirks of Expat Life in JapanALTs share some interesting aspects of living in Japan

4 November/December 2014 | nagazasshi4

This event brings to life the bygone days of Maruyama, formerly one of the three largest geisha districts (hanamachi) in Japan, with traditional dances and a procession of cour-tesans through the streets. The festival also features an onnamikoshi, a portable shrine carried strictly by women only.

Event of the Month

Maruyama Hana Festival,

Umezono Migawari Tenmangu

November 9 - 10

nagazasshi | November/December 2014 55photos flickr.com/shujimoriwaki

Kingdom of Lights, Huis Ten BoschEarly November – Early FebruaryWith a display of over 10 million light-bulbs, making it the largest display of its kind in the world, Huis Ten Bosch welcomes you to the Kingdom of Light - crowned No.1 for three consecutive years by Yahoo! Japan’s Christmas spe-cial ranking, the “top 20 most-popular illuminations in Japan.”

99 Islands Oyster Festival,Kujukushima Pearl Sea ResortNovember 15 – December 7 Saturdays, Sundays, and PublicHolidays in November400 grills with seating for 1600 are set up on the open grassy area at the Saikai Pearl Sea Resort. The scent from the grills mixes with the salty sea breeze, creating a perfect atmosphere to enjoy this classic seasonal delicacy in the great outdoors.

Church Week, KamigotoDecember 3 – 8 Celebrate an early Christmas in Kamig-oto. Church buildings, filled with the history of the hardships and sufferings of the hidden Christians, are lit up with glowing lights. This event also features

over six nights of classical music played by professional musicians. The illumina-tions are lit from early December to early January.

Kira-kira Festival, SaseboNovember 20 – December 25If you’re craving some Christmas festivi-ties, than this festival is for you. Shima-nose Park’s buildings and trees will be decked in Christmas lights. Be sure to check out the charity party in the arcade as well!

A Nagasaki Christmas,Nagasaki CityNovember 23 – December 27 Parks and attractions throughout the city are decorated in dazzling Christmas illumination. You won’t have to walk far to be surrounded by lights, music and Christmas cheer.

Glover Garden Winter Festival,Nagasaki CityDecember 22 – 25 Enjoy a great view of Nagasaki city while surrounded by beautiful illumination. Gentle music, a fantastic view of the city, and the Candle Event make for a magical evening.

Maruyama Hana Festival,

Umezono Migawari Tenmangu

November 9 - 10

Events

Know of an upcoming event you’d like us to feature?Let us know at [email protected]!

6 November/December 2014 | nagazasshi

Wondering what’s hot in Japanese pop culture? The Naga-zasshi staff is here to give you some media recommendations!

My Two Yen...

Image Credits: SHANK band photo Yasumasa Handa, courtesy of twitter.com/SHANK095/status/413211843961036800; Gundam Build Fighters Sunrise, Inc., courtesy of flickr.com/dannychoo

Music

Hey what’s up?! This is Karl with a sonic suggestion for all of you. We all know that the Japanese music scene is flooded with the likes of AKB 48, Johnnys’ stars, pretty idols, and catchy verses, but why not try listening to something new for a change? I’ve been following the Japanese rock/punk scene since coming to Japan, and I would like to introduce you to a 3-person, Nagasaki-based Japanese punk band called “SHANK.”

If you like fast-paced guitar riffs, catchy lyrics, or you just want to relive the days

of blink-182, Sum 41, and New Found Glory, this band is sure to be up on your alley. The band’s songs are entirely sung in English, so accents and pronunciations might be difficult to understand. But hey, each year they’re getting better at it. When you get the chance, YouTube “Wake me up when night falls again” and “Love&Hate.” Until next time, keep rockin’, Nagasaki!

8 http://www.shankofficial.com

fight in a computer-simulated environ-ment. In order to win, a person has to build and control a strong Gunpla. Sei is a genius builder with terrible control skills, while Reiji has no idea how to build Gunpla but is very good at piloting them.

Will Sei and Reiji be able to beat the intense competition and claim first place? If you like seeing giant robots blow each other up, but hate the usual melodrama, or if you’re a Gundam fan who likes to see unique vari-ations to familiar mobile suits battle it out, then this show might just be for you.

Anime

Niel here. My next recommendation is Gundam Build Fighters. The Gundam series is usually very melodramatic and dark, but this show is more comical and upbeat. Sei and Reiji are friends trying to win the

Gunpla Battle World Cham-pionship. People all over

the world put together and customize their own Gunpla, or plastic Gundam model kits,

which they then use to

nagazasshi | November/December 2014 7

The renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor Carlos Machado says, “The ground is my ocean, I am

a shark, and most people don’t know how to swim.” From the beginner’s side, author and BJJ practitioner Sam Harris writes that “the experience of grap-pling with an expert is akin to falling into deep water without knowing how to swim.”

I have only studied BJJ for a few months, so I can’t attest to the first quote, but the second is most certainly accurate. BJJ experts can make even muscle-bound karate experts look helpless once the fight hits the ground. After nearly a century of development

abroad, this martial art is finally gaining momentum in its country of origin.

BJJ is a combat sport and self-defense system rooted in judo. Japanese judo experts Mitsuyo Maeda and Soshihiro

Satake brought the art to Brazil in the early 1900s, where they opened schools and spread their knowledge to many people. This included a young Carlos Gracie and

his siblings.

Under the care of the Gracie family, BJJ evolved. In contrast to judo, BJJ developed a focus on ground grappling over throwing. It’s said that this was to

Will Morgan explains the complexities and history of Brazil-ian Jiu-Jitsu.

The experience of grappling with an expert is akin to falling into deep water without knowing how to swim

“

”

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu J a p a n e s e M a r t i a l A r t s :

photos Alexis Powell


In a BJJ match, it is common to see a competitor rock back and pull their opponent on top of them, which would immediately disqualify the competitor in judo. Counter-intuitive as it seems, get-ting your opponent on the ground is just the appetizer in BJJ. The struggle that

ensues to control your opponent is the main course, and a successful choke or joint lock is the sweetest of desserts.

A typical BJJ lesson starts with solo actions led by the instructor. Next, the instructor will teach a technique: a choke, joint-lock, sweep, or pass. Sweeps get your opponent off of you, and passes get your opponent into a compromised position.

accommodate fighters of smaller stature, like Carlos’ brother, Helio.

BJJ burst onto the world scene in the early 1990s when Royce Gracie won the first, second, and fourth ever Ultimate Fighting Championship no-holds-barred mixed martial arts (MMA) tourna-ments. More recently, Taka Watanabe opened Japan’s first BJJ school in 1997.

In Maeda and Satake’s time, the terms “judo” and “jujutsu” were used inter-changeably to describe the strike-less martial art of throwing and applying joint-locks and chokes to opponents. But aside from the competitors’ attire, today’s judo and BJJ matches look quite different.

BJJ experts can make even muscle-bound karate experts look helpless once the fight hits the ground.

“”

opponent, you must calm your mind and focus your effort into controlling them. The personal reward for submitting an opponent increases with the effort required to do it.

BJJ is lauded as a highly effective sys-tem of self-defense as well as a necessary weapon in any MMA fighter’s arsenal.

After the move is understood, you part-ner off and practice, otherwise known as drilling. After drilling comes sparring, called “rolling”. BJJ is unique in that when sparring, you can go as hard as you choose to and still avoid injury. This would be impossible in boxing or karate since repetitive blows to the head add up and weigh on your ability to pronounce things properly.

Though still a Japanese art, the western influence in BJJ is hard to miss. In tournaments, referees give orders in Portuguese. Sitting in seiza is not required, and the teacher/pupil dy-namic is also less pronounced than one might expect compared with Japanese martial arts.

In BJJ, the teachers are friendly, approachable, and eminently hum-ble. Good teachers even compete in tournaments because compet-ing can lead to losses, and losses check a runaway ego.

It bears mentioning that practic-ing BJJ is also a lot of fun. It’s a fascinating combination of cerebral and physical prowess, like playing chess with your whole body. When facing a more expe-rienced opponent, it seems like there’s danger behind every move, whereas fighting a beginner you can sometimes collect a win with a few quick moves. No matter the

Check back next issue for a peek into adifferent Japanese marital art.

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BJJ is lauded as a highly effective system of self-defense as well as a necessary weapon in any MMA fighter’s arsenal

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10

Part of the joy of living in a new country is understanding its culture and absorbing aspects of it into

your personality. My first experience of this, a mere week or so after arriving in Japan from my native Britain, was catching myself muttering ganbatte whilst sorting my garbage.

Given that ganbatte means something between “do your best” and “hang in there,” it’s unsurprising that this is the phrase that made such an impact on a new arrival to Japan so quickly.

It’s a phrase often uttered to me by Star-bucks baristas after I explain that despite barely being able to order a latte in Japa-nese, I will be living in Japan for at least a year. It’s often shouted to me cheerily as I embark on my morning run to Dejima. There’s the current ubiquity of Ganba-kun and Ranba-chan, the mascots for the 2014 National Sports Festival in Nagasaki (Ganbaranba, I’ve discovered, is Nagasaki dialect for ganbatte). But most of all, it’s an incredibly important part of the founda-tion of Japanese culture.

I struggled to describe it to my loved ones back home until I attended my school’s taii-kusai, or sports festival. This took place on a blazingly hot September Sunday with just enough Kyushu humidity to make breath-ing a challenge. In Britain, our equivalent

is “sports day.” Its highlight is the egg and spoon race, in which small British

children balance a hard-boiled egg on a spoon and race one another whilst

Jennifer Edwards explains

what ganbatte is and how it

affects Japanese culture.

“Ganbatte”

photo flickr.com/mattb_tv

photo Doug Bonham

TheSpirit

of

“Ganbatte”

ticing of dance routines before and after very long school hours, extra homework on the bus, and staying until the early hours of the evening to perfect their club activities.

There are days when my frustration with remembering basic Japanese verbs means I don’t want a cheery ganbatte. I’m pretty sure some of the students across Japan who are at the bottom of a human pyramid may also feel the same way.

But despite being in Japan just shy of two months, the ganbatte spirit is uniquely comforting even for someone from outside of the culture, and I feel privileged to un-derstand and be a part of it.

trying to keep the egg

atop the spoon.

So with that as my benchmark, I watched agog as the opening ceremony commenced and, in unbearable heat, the students marched and danced en masse. Students who fainted gamely returned later to complete their events. The steely faces of the students confirmed that it was ganbatte spirit driving them. They were enduring hardship for the sake of putting on a show everyone could be proud of.

The ganbatte spirit only intensified throughout the day. Most striking to me was the human pyramid. In this event, the teachers surround the students in a protective circle and ushered them up layer upon layer until the pyramid has grown to ten layers tall. The look on the faces of the students at the bottom was a combination of pain, resolve and stoic resignation. I’m sure this image would have been a far more effec-tive symbol for the Nagasaki sports festival than Ganba and Ranba.

It’s easy to see how this foundation can become the ganbatte spirit seen in adult life in Japan, where it is less ten-layer human pyramids and more salarymen working long hours. For students, it’s in their relentless prac-

Part of the joy of living in a new country is understanding its culture and absorbing aspects of it into your personality

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photo Doug Bonham

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When I first arrived in Japan, I was stoutly told by multiple locals that if I

wanted to find really attractive Japanese people, I had to make the long trek out to Goto. “There’s something in the water there,” my colleague nodded sagely. “Just look, even actresses and models become famous if they’re from Goto.”

She, of course, was referencing Kawa-guchi Haruna, the model and actress born and raised on the beautiful shores of Goto. If you live in Nagasaki, there’s a 90 percent chance you recognize this girl, even if you’re not a self-proclaimed pop aficionado like myself. Why? Be-cause in recent years she’s become the face for multiple different companies.

Plastered across barbershop windows, looking sporty in local bike stores, and

even displaying her cutely dimpled smile to sell Pocari Sweat from vending machines, Haruna is almost everywhere you turn. However, she has a special place in the hearts of Nagasaki resi-dents, and it’s easy to see why.

Haruna, born in 1995, truly represents the characteristics that Nagasaki people

are so proud of. She is famous for being natural. Disliking makeup and boldly admitting multiple

times that she’s not good with fashion, her true charm is in that wholesome-ness which sets her apart from so many others in the pop industry today. Her down-to-earth attitude and no-nonsense charm has appealed to Tokyoites, who are used to idols being glitzed and glammed until you can barely see their faces under their makeup and fake eyelashes.

Katy Squicciarini talks about one of Japan’s most famous actresses and models, Kawaguchi Haruna.

Kawaguchi

”“ There’s something in the water there

Haruna

{Nagasaki Notables}

Kawaguchi

Haruna

It was, in fact, this charm that shot her to stardom when she first moved to Tokyo. At the age of only 13, her good looks landed her modeling gigs. Howev-er, despite her young age, she was stead-fast in pursuing her dreams of becoming an actress, and only two years later she landed her first role in the popular Japa-nese drama, Tokyo Dogs.

It was only a minor role, but that didn’t discourage her. In fact, it inspired her to work harder. For two years, she contin-ued working small acting and modeling jobs when she could.

However, it wasn’t until she was 15 years old that she got her real big break: the role of Fujioka Haruhi, the protagonist in the popular manga turned TV show Ouran High School Host Club.

Playing a girl who disguises her gender in a school full of exceedingly rich and powerful students, her natural tom-boyish charms were allowed to shine through. She held her own in a cast full of boys with strong personalities, and it was the perfect role to first thrust her into stardom.

Since then, Haruna has landed a number of well-loved roles, from the mysterious Aizawa in the 2012 remake

of Great Teacher Onizuka, to her hilari-ous role as a ghostbuster in Tenma-san ga Yuka. Most recently she can be found acting alongside Hey! Say! JUMP member Yamada Ryosuke in the popular Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo N.

At the age of only 19, her filmography is already very impressive, so we can be sure to see more great things from this Nagasaki native. Haruna… FIGHTING!

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“ At the age of only 19, her filmography is already very impres-sive

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Photo credits (counter-clockwise):

Kindaichi Shounen no Jikenbo N NTV Network Corp. (2014); Madame Marmalade no Ijo na Nazo: Shut-sudai Hen TV Tokyo Corp. (2013); Ouran High School Host Club TBS Television Network, Inc. (2011); GTO: Great Teacher Onizuka Fuji Television Network, Inc. (2012)


Rosie Fordham and Andrew Massey recommend amust-try signature Nagasaki dish: saraudon.

Saraudon

Shikairou4-5 MatsugaemachiNagasaki-shi, Nagasaki 〒850-0921( TEL 095-822-12968 http://www.shikairou.com

Shikairou’s Original

Saraudon

Shikairou’s Original


tures. Bits of pink and green poke out through the glossy white sauce, which is both viscous and hearty, while remaining velvety smooth through some culinary miracle. This is in striking contrast to the audibly crisp goldenrod noodles that soften over time as the elements of the dish mingle on the plate. Each mouth-ful provides a gratifying blend of both crispiness and chew, which is sure to satisfy even the hungriest of tourists.

Next time you’re in the area, do yourself a favor and give Shikairou’s saraudon a try. Chances are there’ll be a bit of a line, but it’s definitely worth the wait.

Not far from Nagasaki Harbor stands the massive Chinese restaurant Shikairou. Founded

in 1899 by Chinese immigrant Chen Ping Shun, the restaurant is well known as the birthplace of the Nagasaki staple, champon. However, it also is the home of another one of the prefecture’s signature dishes, saraudon.

According to the restaurant’s website, saraudon was inspired by chaanishimen (炒肉絲麺), a yakisoba-like dish from China. The story goes that the restau-rant’s founder created it as a variation on the already popular champon. The dish was named saraudon, or “plate udon,” because at the time it was more common to eat noodles from a bowl.

While the dish quickly spawned many imitations and variations, the saraudon at Shikairou is still made as it always was: by frying seafood and pork with lard and a little bit of champon broth. This gives the sauce a full-bodied rich-ness visible in the dish’s opacity and creamy texture, masking any overt fishiness the ingredients may carry. The sauce is then poured over a freshly fried thicket of thin, crispy noodles and served piping hot. Once on the table, a dash of Japanese Worchester sauce can be added to complete this orchestra of flavors.

The dish is a visual feast, featuring an impressive medley of colors and tex-

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photo flickr.com/morygonzalez

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November/December 2014 | nagazasshi

Jennifer Edwards describes the culture shock that many expats go through when they first arrive in Japan.

with its bite, it will make you feel pretty miserable. Many have reported mukade encounters of varying degrees of horror, from discovering one crawling under a trouser leg to another working its way through the seam of a tatami mat and into someone’s lap. The apparent nonchalance of Japanese friends and co-workers to indoor critter attacks only adds to the indignity.

Safety first

For many, Japan feels safer than their home country. Some expats claim never to lock their houses, with one claiming not to have locked his car in years. One Brit was surprised to see elderly ladies walking up what he described as “suspi-cious alleys.” He assures us that this would result in a mugging in England.

In contrast, strangersin Japan are generally nice, rather than “neutral or menacing,” adding to this overall feeling of safety.

Wildlife

Bugs are a common source of vexation to the expat community –

particularly the dreaded mukade,

which is unique to Japan. While unlikely to kill you

Quips & QuirksThe

of Expat Life

inJapan

16


the dryer). The complex garbage separa-tion system continues to confuse

both new arrivals to Japan and those who have been

here for a while. Washing your hands from a tap on the top of the toilet bemuses several – as does

using a hand crank to warm up their showers.

At home

The cultural differences contin-ue into the home, with expats confounded by everything from light switches being sideways to hang-drying clothing (some of our Ameri-can readers in particular miss hot fluffy towels direct from

Food woes

Food is a central part of life and socializ-ing in many cultures, including Japan’s,

so unsurprisingly many of the expats had food woes. These ranged from crust-less bread to a lack of spice or excess of sugar in food. One bemoaned the fact that it’s impossible to buy anything that’s not in ten layers of packaging, an-other that not finishing food is perceived as rude. Those from big cities in particu-lar miss having access to authentic food from all over the world. However, the wide availability of vending machines is one common plus point – especiallybeing able to buy hot drinks in winter.

with no tip expected (and, if given, it will often be returned to you by a waiter or waitress who has run down the street after you to do so).

Politeness

General politeness and excellent custom-er service were praised as positive dif-ferences from many of our readers. One Londoner describes feeling like a minor Lord walking into the local convenience store compared to back home – where you are lucky if the shopkeeper will get off the phone to serve you. Others note their surprise and delight at unexpected service gifts and of course all of this

simple friendship with a member of the op-posite sex is often wildly misconstrued as something more in Japan, compared to back home in Canada. Another person mentions that, unlike in other countries where

it may be a sensitive issue, body weight is publicly discussed among adults.

Others note oddities of conversa-tional style – such as not having to finish sentences, instead letting a drawn out が do all the work, or describing your experiences out loud in a single adjective, using any of the following: hot, cold, spacious, nostalgic, tired, etc. This may sound unusual if mentioned to folks back home, but after a few months in Japan it makes perfect sense.

Personal relationships

It is commonly reported that Japanese people do not have as much physical con-tact as people from their home countries – greetings with handshakes and hugs are not the norm. One bemoans that a

how she showed up at work after a night on the town and by lunchtime had four hangover cures on her desk. Many of our readers are assistant language teachers (ALTs), who are surprised to still see blackboards and chalk in Japanese class-rooms (many weren’t even taught using these when they were at school).

The workplace

Lack of tolerance for being even a few minutes late also

seems to be another uniquely Japanese trait – although the high frequency and quantity of omiyage from co-workers sweetens the pill. One reader describes

Photo credits (p. 16 - 18): Elderly woman in alley flickr.com/mdesjardin; Mukade in gutter flickr.com/mattb_tv; Line of vending machines flickr.com/jeffkole; Recy-cling flickr.com/nihonbunka; Tea server flickr.com/jonwick; Classroom flickr.com/ogwrnsk; Handshake flickr.com/blondinrikard

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