Footloose??!!

Countries are often stereotyped around the world, some good and some bad.  Canadians are stereotyped as being friendly and saying 'eh' a lot, Americans as being loud, the Australians for maybe partying just a little too much.  Japan is known for really loving cute things, Godzilla, and being a bit weird.  I've maybe gotten used to seeing strange things in the year and a half I've been here.  I barely even bat an eyelid  when I see a Harajuku girl or someone walking around in a Pikachu jumpsuit, and I especially don't take pictures of these things like I did at first!  This past weekend, I have to admit I was a bit shocked when I found out a law I never knew about in Japan: 'late night' dancing is apparently illegal!  We've all heard strange laws: apparently it's illegal to catch a fish with your bare hands in Saskatoon, or to pay for a 50 cent item with only pennies, but NO DANCING!!??  Maybe I was so shocked because I HAVE been out clubbing since coming to Japan, so how is it against the law?  But then I learned the police have been cracking down on it a lot more in the last year or so (maybe they're bored because of the low crime rates here and have nothing to do?).  Even when I've asked a lot of Japanese friends about it, they had no idea this is against the law.  Trust a foreigner to know more about another country! (I say this because I know nothing about Canada)

The way I found out was this: It was a friend's birthday and we were planning on renting a beach hut on Nokonoshima (an island just off Fukuoka). We cancelled due to the threat of a typhoon coming through that night and maybe becoming stranded with no food the next day with no ferry to bring us back to the mainland (or in Japan, basically, the bigger island). Because Big Bang (a K-pop group) was in town for a concert, we could not find a hotel or hostel or anywhere for us to stay in (not even the Hilton had a free room, yes we checked), especially considering there were a dozen of us. So we discussed our options for the night: party on the beach till dawn and take the first shinkansen home (what if it rains??!!), rent a karaoke room and eventually sleep in it when we're all karaoke'd out (no shower, blankets, etc.), a love hotel for a few hours (not enough guys to go around, apparently they only accept heterosexual couples, so no same sex couples, no group orgies and no singles), manga cafe (basically sleeping in a wank cubicle, ew), capsule hotel (usually prejudice against women), calling every Japanese person we know in the city to see if they'll take us (no one wanted all of us :( ), clubbing till dawn (can't anymore, late night dancing is illegal in Japan now)....the options are literally endless in Japan....wait, WHAT!!?? How is dancing illegal in Japan??!! This must be some kind of joke! But, nope, it sure isn't.

So I thought I would do some internet research to find out why. It turns out the law is called the Entertainment Business Control Law (Fūzoku Eigyō Torishimari Hō) and it was made after the end of World War II in 1948 when Japan was basically going crazy with their 'hostess' clubs and gambling.  The no dancing addition was added in 1984. Businesses can allow dancing but they have to spend a lot of money getting permission and meet a lot of criteria, such as having a big enough space (66 square feet or more to be exact) which can be difficult in a country where space is limited and very expensive.  So most little 'hole in the wall' live music venues cannot even apply for the permit.  Along with a permit for dancing and serving liquor, they also need one for serving food...so because Tokyo is such a huge city, clubs do still but exist, but in smaller cities (even big cities like Osaka and Fukuoka) it's now less common than it was a year ago and clubs have closed down and owners been arrested for 'non-licensed dancing'.  Which maybe explains why I have gone clubbing in the likes of Fukuoka, Tokyo, Kyoto, and smaller cities in the time I've been here but now it's all changing and the cops are tired of turning a blind eye! Can you say Footloose???  So why suddenly start cracking down after ignoring it for 60 years?  Apparently the cops are using it as an excuse to get to more serious problems of underage drinking, drug use and the like, by sending in undercover cops and all.  But really...none of these things are a huge threat to society like they are in other parts of the world, which leads me to believe they are just bored with their nearly crimeless society....so along with all the other things I enjoy (they shall remain nameless) and can't do in Japan, I can add clubbing all night.

And in case you're wondering, four of us found a tiny hotel room at 1am that let us sleep on the floor in it, some went home for the night, some stayed up all night karaokeing, and all were safe and sound...this IS Japan you know, not exactly crime central!  Happy birthday Kris, it was one to remember if nothing else! :)

Hockey Morning in Japan

Having grown up in Canada, I developed a love for hockey.  This is very stereotypical of me, I know!  Many Canadians don't love hockey, as everyone thinks we do.  However, when certain games come around, such as the Olympic gold medal game, or the NHL Stanley Cup finals, everyone tends to gather around the TV with family and friends.  A big part of culture is defined by sport, such as many countries around the world and their love for cricket or football.  As Canadians, we have very long, cold winters where communities often gather by frozen ponds or skating rinks.  Growing up on a farm beside a lake, I was lucky enough to have my own outdoor skating rink for my friends to come over and skate on.  My dad would clear the lake off with the tractor once the ice was thick enough.  We even went skating at school for P.E. every week, rather than learning to swim (my town was too small for a pool till I was in high school).  I was a half decent skater as a kid even though I never played hockey or ringette, but when I went home a few winters ago and went skating I was horrible!  Every town, no matter how small has a skating rink.  I know of villages with a population of 50 with no post office but they have a skating rink!  There's nothing better than spending a crisp winter afternoon outside skating and coming in to a cup of steaming hot chocolate.

Now, to those outside of North America, this may seem like a weird topic to write about at the start of summer, but the professional hockey season actually runs from September to June - providing hockey for enthusiasts for almost the whole calendar year!  This past Tuesday morning was the final game of the season (Monday night in Canadian time), so I spent my morning watching the game on my computer, thanks to the help of my nifty little illegal program that changes my IP address to a Canadian one so I can stream Canadian channels on my computer.  Now, I'm not a super obsessed fan; I know a few players and some rules but I would by no means claim to be an expert.  I simply just love cheering with a beer in my hand and enjoying Don Cherry's obscure outfits.  When I was back in Canada in March, I went to my first NHL game in Edmonton and I've never felt more proud to be Canadian as when I stood in the cold rink, Molson in hand, hearing the national anthem on the speakers.  My team (the Edmonton Oilers) is not a very good team so they are not in the finals and I normally wouldn't be watching.  What made these finals exciting enough for me to watch is that one of the players for the L.A. Kings, Dwight King, #74, is a kid I rode the big yellow school bus with everyday!  To see a family's dreams come true after all the years of travelling and all the money spent is amazing.  It's such an inspiration to see someone you knew as a kid, who worked so hard and grew up in such a small place with big dreams, to have them come true. The town we're from is small - maybe 5,000 people at most - and over the years, there's been 6 professional players come out of it, including my second cousin. This is a lesson for all of us, you can do anything you put your mind to if you want it bad enough!  It's pretty cool to think the Stanley Cup will be making it to lil old Meadow Lake this summer, and even better yet, to Bear Creek.  It's one of those rare times I would have liked to have been back in Canada.

Mother's Day

  Because I'm so busy lately and never blog, I've decided to start re-posting my blogs I have to write on my work website (http://ecm-japan.jugem.jp/?month=201205) every week, unless they're super boring and school related.  Please note they are G rated :( This one is from about a month ago and has been slightly altered...

This past Sunday in Japan, as well as many other countries around the world, was Mother's Day.  When I've been asking students what they will do to thank their mother for all her hard work, some have said they will give her flowers (specifically carnations), some have said cook dinner for her (most often meal when asked what is curry rice), or give other types of presents, and some have said they will do nothing.

In Canada, there is no 'traditional' gift for Mother's Day.  Most people in Canada are originally from another country and usually follow in the traditions of their heritage.  As children, we often do some sort of craft in school to give as a gift.  As we get older, we give cards, chocolate, or flowers, or do something such as cook dinner, clean the house, or give a back massage.  The list goes on and on. 

Now that I'm older, I can truly appreciate all my mother did for me.  She was a teacher and vice-principal for over 30 years and was up early everyday and often didn't go to bed till late at night.  She always had a spotless house, healthy homecooked food on the table (we virtually never ate at a restaurant), a huge garden and beautiful yard (no easy feat on a big farm).  Besides being a dedicated teacher, she was also the best mother I could hope for.  She helped with my homework, taught me responsibility, the value of hard work and being unselfish, how to make strudel and sauerkraut, was a shoulder to cry on, and a stern hand when I needed it.  As I got older, she helped me learn my own limits by allowing me to go out on the weekend with my friends, but I still got no special treatment the next day and had to be up early the next morning to do my part on the farm.  My mother was more than a mother; she was a role model, a mentor, a confidant, my best friend, and encouraged me to be all I can be.  I miss her everyday since she passed away nearly five years ago and wish I had the chance to tell her how much she really meant to me.  I can only hope she's proud of me and the choices I've made without her to guide me in the right direction.  Being a teacher, even if it's not something I do my entire life, is special to me because it's how my mother chose to spend her life.  It makes me feel closer to her in a way, even if it's sometimes hard when I want to call her to ask her advice on what to do about something.

I can't wait to have you tell me all about your mothers, why they're special to you, and what you did for them.  And if you didn't do anything special on Sunday, don't worry, it's not too late!  You can thank your mother every day of the year, not just on one designated day, I know she'll appreciate it.  Mother's Day is not just for your mothers, but for anyone who has nurtured and supported you in some way along your path, whether it be a grandmother, babysitter, friend's mother, aunt, boss, etc. Have a good week and remember to give your mum a hug the next time you see her!  I would give up anything to spend just one more minute with her; you don't know what you've got till it's gone!

Ziggy