Konnichiwa Minnasan! Hello All! Thanks for visiting to read about my adventures in rural Japan. I lived in Japan from July of 2004 to July of 2009. I enjoyed my time in Shimane immensely and hope to return in 2010.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
平岡さんの顔に殴られた跡 島根女子大生遺棄事件（09/11/07）
I'm not sure if I'm understanding all the latest details of this tragic event, but basically a 19 year old college student from Shimane ken (Hamada town) was abducted on her way home this past week, and later they discovered her head. I think they are searching for the rest of her body.
I have a friend who is also a former ALT in Shimane who taught this girl when she was a Jr High student. My thoughts go out to her and this girl's friends and family.
I would be utterly devastated if something like this happened to one of my former students. According to my friend, this girl was really interested in English and would often talk to her.
Anti-foreigner protests in Tokyo sparked by Halloween train party
Read an interesting article on JapanProbe.com today about the annual Yamanote Halloween train party.
For those that don't know about this - basically every year a bunch of gaijin would ride the loop train in Tokyo on Halloween night dressed up in costumes and basically being noisy and bothersome to regular Japanese folks.
Ultra-right wing Japanese Nationalists, who want all foreigners to leave Japan, decided that this year they would show up and protest. So a bunch of Japanese police showed up too to keep an eye on the situation and as a result, not many foreigners showed up this year and it was a bit of a fizzle.
You can read the article and see some of the hilarious pictures of badly worded protest signs Here.
As is usually the case on JapanProbe - the comments section below the article is more entertaining and enlightening than the article itself.
If you want to see video of past year's train parties, then check out the YouTube channel of RoninDave.
My most recent YouTube vlog. I edited some footage I shot back in July on the last day of school at my main Jr High School.
Some of the "honors" this video has after the first 24 hours it was on my channel:
#31 - Most Discussed (Today) - Japan #1 - Most Discussed (Today) - Howto & Style - Japan #9 - Most Discussed (This Week) - Howto & Style - Japan #33 - Most Discussed (This Month) - Howto & Style - Japan #13 - Most Viewed (Today) - Howto & Style - Japan #83 - Most Viewed (Today) - Howto & Style - South Korea #5 - Top Favorited (Today) - Howto & Style - Japan #47 - Top Favorited (This Week) - Howto & Style - Japan #52 - Top Rated (Today) - Japan #1 - Top Rated (Today) - Howto & Style - Japan #10 - Top Rated (This Week) - Howto & Style - Japan #46 - Top Rated (This Month) - Howto & Style - Japan
My description from the YT sidebar:
After school, on the last day before summer vacation, I had the pleasure of hanging out with the kendo team at my main Jr High school one last time.
I decided I would put on all my gear and let the kids have one last whack at me after their practice ended.
Yamasaki sensei was kind enough to help me out with filming and explanations, and the whole team stuck around even though I'm sure most of them were pretty tired. (Practicing kendo, where you're wearing fairly thick clothing, in Japan in the summer time is a hot and sweaty job)
I can't really show the kids too much, but you'll see a little more of them in part TWO since they'll be wearing helmets. I really have enjoyed my time hanging out and working out with the kendo team, even though I've gone to practice less in my last two years.
I hope you enjoy this vlog, I apologize in advance for my poor Japanese, and I hope you watch part TWO - Coming Soon! :)
