....and we're back!

Good evening to you all once again. I have decided upon a change in format for my blog posts here. Rather than dump a blizzard of pictures with sparse commentary, which is both expensive in terms of time and of my available bandwith, I am going to instead post fewer pictures, but select them more carefully and provide them with better captions. In the past I have posted in blocks of 10 pictures or so at a time. I will now post more often, but only post 3 or 4 pictures at a time. I hope that this will obtain for you a richer experience when coming here. That said, let us begin!

I have decided – this time – to introduce my Japanese sensei, or teachers.

Please allow me to introduce Hirata sensei. Hirata sensei is my teacher for Japanese reading and writing, level 2H. He is linguist and professional teacher with a superb teaching style. I can ask him complex and detailed questions regarding Japanese language, grammar, and even slang – and he will always provide a ready answer. Hirata sensei is very soft-spoken, but quite clear nonetheless.

And now I shall introduce to you: Komura sensei. Komura sensei teaches my Japanese Speach class at level 3D. Komura sensei is a very cheerful man, always ready with a joke or some silly sort of thing to make us laugh and keep the mood light. Going to his class is always a positive experience, even when one is tired from staying up late doing his homework assignments – which are a little long. Otherwise, he is an expert teacher, able to keep things simple and understandable to us – enough so that we don't forget – despite the fact that very little english is ever used in the classroom.

When one wants to go shopping here, one tends to go to either Kyoto or Osaka. Up in Kyoto, there is an area called 四条 or Shijō, which means "Fourth Avenue." Along Shijō, there are several shopping districts. When I say "district", what I actually mean is several city block wide covered street sections with literally thousands of shops. Japan actually has a national chain store dedicated to selling...socks. Yes, you heard me right: socks! Anyway, when one passes down one of these covered streets, one tends to see a lot of things: shops, restaurants, MacDonald's, KFC, random temples...wait! temples!? Yes, temples. The area is so old that the temples far predated the rest of it. Rather than buy them out and tear them down, the shopping districts simply surrounded them. So the above picture was taken at a temple that was at least 400 years old, and just outside the main gate to it is a shopping mall. This is much like walking into Crossgates or some other mall, and discovering a full-blown catholic cathedral in one of the store slots.

As always, I have more pictures, but not enough time. I hope that this will hold you over until next time. I hope to post more soon. Ciao!