It is about an hour communte from our hotel to the University... which means a lot of walking to the train, a 9 minute train, and then walking to the University up this HUGE hill. It is not steep but it is a gradual incline all the way there. Not to mention 47 steps up to main gate. We have had rehearsal every day since we have been in Kurashiki, but with the communte by train and Ripley just expecting us to be at rehearsal on time we all feel very professional.
We are getting around Kurashiki very well, we have already found the Karaoke bar but it was more expensive then the one in Osaka. Friday night there was 27 of us that did it and we got split into two rooms. Karaoke is a big activity in Japan, while we were there, there was maybe four or five groups of 6+ of Japanese patrons. It is nice though that you can go into a private room and sing your heart out instead of singing in a bar like in America. (This is something American's need to invest in, I have a feeling it would go over great).
There is a super market down the street from the hotel and a few of us ventured there to see what they had in their supermarkets. It is nothing like a Jewel or a Pick'n Save. There was a large seafood section as well as an equally large vegtable stand. Octopus, squid, salmon, prawns and eel were common to see. There was the biggest Taro roots and Cabbages I have ever seen in my life. Which is to be some what expected since they are grown all through out Japan. Dried sardines come in huge bags not to mention dried seaweed. Rice is sold in the huge bags instead of boxes like we see. Instead of seeing the cooking utensils we use, there was a whole row of chopsticks, bamboo steamers and rice cookers. It was interesting to see everyday items that they use locally.
We walked around the historic distric of Kurashiki yesterday. Older buildings and canals line the streets. There are little noodle shops, but I am finding it impossible to find a place that sells steamed buns! There was a place in Osaka but of course I missed out on it becuase I wasn't hungry! There is a small mall in the train station that we also visited before getting on the train to go to the University. A one way ticket costs 190 Y. It ranges from 180 to about 400 depending on the train and how far you are going. What happens is you put in your money it spits out a ticket and you put it through the gate and it pops out on the other side. You must hold on to the ticket to get out of the station. You get on your train and ride only to get off and put the ticket through the gate again and this time it eats it and you are done. Very easy! I was bummed though that it ate my ticket at the end... I wanted to keep one. :)
We had dinner with the Sakuyo University band members and were able to locate the people who play the same instrument. It was easy for the bassoons only because there are two of them and they are excentric. There is Ya-ya and Nigumi. Ya-ya is too extravagant for words and Nigumi's english is quite good making it a little easier to communicate. Saturday night is the exchange party and Sunday night the oboes and the bassoons are going bowling. Billards and bowling are other popular activities amongst the students, as well as karaoke. We have been spending a lot of time at the university really getting to know the students which has been fun. A lot of them communte and there is also mayb half of them that live in the area making it easy to get to school. I can't imagine what going to the best music conservatory in Japan would require. The United Stated educational system is not as pressured as they are... we would all die during music finals/juries.
