2018/09/28 I am a cat Episode four

My master now seems to know he will never be a painter. He wrote this in his diary.

I met a man at today’s meeting. I heard that he has played a lot in the past. He looks like it. That type of men are like by women, so they can't help but a play a lot. And I heard that his wife used to be a geisha. I am jealous. As for people would who say that they are players, most them art aren’t. Most of them pretend to be experts. They go down a path they don't have to. It's like my painting. We aren’t made to do it, but we do it anyway even though we will never become masters of it. If a person could be a player by just drinking sake at restaurants and being a at places to play, then I could be a painter, too. But my paintings are better if they are not painted.

I can't agree with my master’s way of thinking about players or his feeling about a geisha wife. He's a teacher. But I do agree with his thougts of on his paintings. He knows that they are bad.

Then, the friend who knows are art visited my master again.

How is painting?

I followed your advice to sketch. It has helped me.

Actually, that was all a lie.

What?

The great Italian paiter story. I made it up. I didn’t think you would believe me.

I listened to their conversation from the porch. I wonder what my Master was going to write on in his diary today.

I like to make jokes like that. I find it quite funny if people believe me. But this is a real story. Leonardo da Vinch made his students sketch a dirty spot of a temple wall. So maybe if you look long and carefully at a spot on a bathroom wall, you might see a wonderful design made from cracks and rain spots.

Are you playing a joke on me again?

No, this is a true story. It sounds strange just like da Vinch, right?

It is strange.

My master seemed to have half believe. But I have not seen him paint inside a bathroom yet.

Time passes. My master goes to school every day. When he comes home, he doesn't come out of his study. And whenever he has guests, he says that he doesn't like being a teacher. He rarely paints now.

As for me, I don't get any good food, so I am not fat. But I am healthy and live each day as it comes. I don't catch any mice. No one has named me yet, but I can't wish for everything. So for as long as I live, I will be a name as nameless cat in this teacher’s house.

2018/09/27 Hungary

Hello, everyone, I am Hungary. I am about one fourth the size of Japan, and I am surrounded by seven countries. Do you know which seven? They are Austria, Slovakia, Ukraine, Romania, Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia. My capital is Budapest, and the Danube River runs through the middle of it. Actually, Budapest is a city that was once two cities. Buda, which is the older histrical part, and Pest, which was the newer city, combined in the nineteenth centry to Budapest.

There are about 9.7 million people living in my country, and I am multiethnic. That means there are people from many different places. This is because I am located in central Europe, and by my land is mostly a big fat flat area so people can come and go easily. There are many ideas about the roots of my people. One idea is that the Hungarian people were originally Magyars, a group from Asia.

The first king of Hungary, Stephen the first, was the chief of the Magyar people. He is important to Hungarians. At Saint Stephan’s Basilica in Budapest, you can see an old right hand. People think it the belonged to Stephen the first. The Basilica is a really beautiful church, and it's said that all Hungarians have visited it at least once. Oh, did you know that I am probably the only European country was the with an Asian background?

Japan and Hungary have many similarities. Just like you, we say our last names first. We also bow to each other, and we love hot springs. In Budapest, there are more than 100 hot springs and 50 bath houses.

Lake Heviz is the biggest hot spring lake in Europe and second largest in the world. There's a spa there that’s really big. People have been enjoying this hot spring since the Roman era. I’m not beside the sea, but there's a big lake that we call the Hungarian Sea. You can find a hot spring there, too. The spa at Lake Balaton is famous nationally and internationally, and many people go there to relax and enjoy themselves. The lake is really big. The 23 districs of Tokyo could fit in this lake. Big, right?

Also, Asian babies often have purple marks on their backsides called Mongolian spots when they are born. Well, some Hungarian babies have them, too. And there’s a festival similar to your Namahage Festival. In the southern part of my country, a festival called Busojaras is held every February. It is a festival to make winter go away and welcome spring. People wear scary masks and furs, very much like namahage.

I hope you will come visit me sometime. I’m sure you will find more similar things between our countries.

2018/09/26 The bridge

I have been looking for you everywhere granpa.

Suzu? Why are were you looking for me?

Mam was worried because you didn’t come home after going grocery shopping.

I’m a little tired, so I’m resting.

Well then, you should call us. We thought you were lost.

This is my home town. I was born and raised here. I never get lost in my hometown.

Ah, okay. Oh, Granpa. You shouldn’t park your bicycle in the middle of the bridge. If a car comes, it will have to stop.

It's no problem. Not many cars use this bridge these days. Suzu, did you know that your grandpa made this bridge?

Really?

Uh-huh. So I can park my bicycle anywhere I want. I can also sit on the fence like this.

Granpa. That’s dangerous. Be careful.

Oh, Suzu. I’m stronger than you think. I surprised you, didn’t I?

Yes, you did. And I’m surprised that you made this bridge.

It was a long time ago. There was heavy rain, and the river water washed away the old wooden bridge that was here. It was a big problem because people couldn’t get to the other side of the river.

Wow. I didn’t know that.

The town asked the constraction company I worked for to build a new bridge. So our team worked every day without resting to build a new bridge.

So you worked hard for the people in your town.

Yes, of course. Also, I wanted to see my girlfriend.

What?

She lived on the other side of the river. That’s another reason why I worked so hard. I wanted to build a strong, new bridge so that I could go and see her.

Wait, was that girlfriend. Grandma?

Yes. She was so beautiful. When we got married, she walked across this bridge in her wedding kimono. Ah, I want to see your grandma again. I sometimes feel so lonely.

Oh, Grandpa.

I’m just like this bridge. Look. Everyone is using that new bridge over there. No one wants to use this old bridge. It's not useful anymore, like me.

That’s not true. Please don't say that.

Excuse me. Could you please move your bicycle to the side?

What? Oh, of course.

Thank you.

Uh, excuse me. I hope you don't mind if I ask, but why do you use this old bridge?

Well, not many cars cross this bridge, so it's safer for people with the a baby stroller like me. I also see people in wheelchairs and children using this bridge.

Ah, I see. Thank you.

Have a nice day.

Grandpa?

What is it, dear?

You are just like this bridge.

What do you mean?

You will always we be needed.

2018/09/25 Chikara-taro Part two

Once upon a time, there was an old couple with no children. Neithere of them had ever taken a bath. So one day, they took the dirt from their bodies and made a baby doll with it. Suddenly, the doll magically became a real child. The old couple was very happy, and they named him Chikara-taro. He grew up tobe a very strong man. One day, he decided to leave home. He wanted to see how strong he was. On his way, Chikara-taro met two other strong men. Their names were Mido-taro and Ishiko-taro. They became a group and traveled together. After walking for a while, the three of them reached a town. It was a big town, but there were no people on the streets.

The three of them walked by a rich man’s house. There they found a young woman alone and crying.

What's the matter? Why are you crying? Chikara-taro asked the woman.

She said, Every day, a monster comes to this town and eats one person. Today, he will eat me.

She started crying again.

Don't worry, we will fight the monster for you.

So the three strong men waited for the monster to appear. After midnight, there was a strange sound, and a big, big monster came into the street. It was as big as a mountain.

I’m not afraid of you. Mido-taro ran toward it. He hit the monster’s left knee again and again. The monster got angry, and it picked up Mido-taro and threw him in its big, big mouth.

I’m next. Ishiko-taro ran to the monster and hit its right knee. This made the monster really, really angry. The monster picked up Ishiko-taro and threw him in its mouth, too.

Don't worry, I will get you out. Chikara-taro hit the monster with his big iron stick. The monster tried to catch him, but its knees hurt, and Chikara-taro was too fast. Chikara-taro hit the monster again and again. He always jumped away before the monster could catch him. But then, the monster caught the big iron stick. It broke the stick in half like a pencil. Now Chikara-taro was really angry. He jumped out up and hit the monster in the stomach. Then, Mido-taro and Ishiko-taro came flying out of the monster’s big, big nose.

Now Chikara-taro picked up the monster and threw it high into the air. The monster came down and hit the ground very hard. You are stronger than me. I will not come here ever again, said the monster, and it ran away.

The people in the town were so happy. They danced around Chikara-taro and the two strong men. The rich said, Thank you for saving my daughter’s life. He asked Chikara-taro to marry his daughter. Mido-taro and Ishiko-taro married the rich man’s second and third daughters.

Chikara-taro brought his mother and father to the town, and they all lived happily ever after.

2018/09/24 A&B @ Okinawa

Are those dogs on the roofs of that house?

Those aren’t dogs. They are called shisa.

Shisa?

They're gods that keep out evil spirits.

I’m Ben. Today, Akito and I are in the south of Japan in Okinawa Prefecture. Okinawa is good a group of tropical islands, and has a different culture from other parts of Japan.

A long time ago, Okinawa wasn’t part of Japan. It was the Ryukyu Kingdom. Putting shisa on the houses comes from that time.

Here you are. Two bowls of Okinawa soba.

This looks great. Itadakimasu.

Hey, wait. This is soba? Aren’t soba noodles a darker color? This looks like ramen.

This soba is made from wheat flour, so it looks different, but it tastes just as good.

Mmm. It's delicious. Is this soup made with dried bonito, or katsuo-bushi?

Yes. Okinawans eat the most katuo-bushi in Japan.

Really? I didn’t know that.

In okinawa, people have been catching bonito for hundreds of years. We use bonito dashi in many of our dishes. There is even a soup made from bonito dashi called kachu-yu.

I'd like to try that while I’m in Okinawa.

Ah, the Okinawa soba was so good.

So what should we do next?

I want to try drinking awamori in the evening.

You're already thinking about dinner? We just ate lunch.

I like to plan ahead. But I need to get hungry before dinner, so I’m going to take a karate class.

Karate?

Yeah. Karate started in Okinawa.

It did?

Karate is mixed mix of Chinese kung-fu and the martial arts of Ryuku.

Oh, yes. Many people say so. Also it is said that when this the samurai of the Satsuma Domain came here in 1609, they didn’t allow the people here to have weapons. So the people worked hard on their karate skills to protect themselves.

Uh, Ben, are you going to have a fight with someone soon?

Oh, Akito, you don't understand. Karate moves are used to protect yourself, not to attack someone.

What do you mean?

It's all about defence. In Okinawan karate, you push away the attacker. You only attack if you really have to.

That’s right. Not attacking is the most important thing in karate.

You just practice kata, or movement, until it's perfect. It's like street performing.

Ah, you're right.

You should come with me, Akito.

Actually, I want to go see a Ryukyu dance performance. I think I can learn from it.

Oh, okay. So we’ll meet again in the evening?

Sure.

Hey, Akito.

What is it?

You’ve stopped saying you want to go and perform in big cities.

Huh? Oh. You never listen to me anyway. Now I enjoy visiting new places. The people are great, and there's so much to see.

Akito, I’m really glad to hear that.